As usual there is a lot of angst in middle America these days with uncertainty over RFS volumes, small refinery waivers, bird flu, budget cuts, and looming trade wars. But the greatest threat is the potential for a full-blown farm crisis.
Many of us were in the trenches 20 years ago when the bi-partisan Senate duo of Democrat Tom Daschle and Republican Dick Lugar introduced the first RFS. More recently Senator Daschle told the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association annual meeting: “RFS was the launch vehicle and higher octane fuels like E30 will keep the industry in orbit”. Ethanol’s superior octane qualities are even more critical today as President Trump looks for ways to eliminate oil imports and insulate the nation’s economy against supply interruptions.