The recent changes from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to the renewable fuel standard has caused concern for corn and soybean producers in Iowa.

The EPA raised the Renewable Fuel Requirement by one-percent, which means less production of corn and soybeans for biofuels, coupled with waivers allowing for production plants to not adhere to mixing requirements to include thousands of bushels of corn and soybeans. Iowa’s Fourth Congressional District Representative Steve King calls out current EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler for always siding with oil companies. King believes they need to go through the White House for a solution.

“We just need to go to the White House and get a statement from President (Donald) Trump that is specific, that says, ‘You’re going to hit the 15 billion gallon target and that’s that.”

King points out two bills he introduced in the U.S. House that would have prevented the 31 oil refinery waivers and the loss of biofuel gallons made with corn and soybeans.

“If you’re going to grant any small refinery exemptions (SRE), then add those gallons back into the other refineries, so that there’s no net loss to the renewable fuels industry. The other one would require them to go back and recover all the missed gallons that had been waived by the SRE’s in the past.”    

King says he’s unsure how this will play out, but is hopeful that producers can utilize the corn and soybeans in other ways for renewable fuel.