The Environmental Protection Agency hosted a public hearing on the proposed rule to reduce the 2014 renewable volume obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard Thursday. The proposed rule would reduce the 2014 RFS volume obligations for conventional corn-based ethanol by 1.39-billion gallons. National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Past President Steve Foglesong was among those testifying. Foglesong – a cattle feeder and corn grower in Illinois – says it’s time to look at reforming the RFS and let the market pick winners and losers instead of the government. He says NCBA supports the proposed rule. While it’s a step in the right direction – Foglesong says NCBA believes more work needs to be done to level the playing field for all users of corn. Over the past four years – according to NCBA – the average cost to grain finish a market steer has increased by more than 200-dollars per head.
Foglesong says these costs aren’t sustainable for a segment of the industry that relies on corn. When state governors were denied a waiver of the RFS in light of the worst drought in over 50 years – he says it became evident the RFS needs to be fixed.
Source: NAFB News Service