The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) today welcomed the introduction of the Clean Fuels Deployment Act of 2020, legislation from Reps. Abby Finkenauer, D-Iowa, Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, Angie Craig, D-Minn., and Don Bacon, R-Neb., to incentivize the deployment of fueling infrastructure for ethanol blends greater than 10 percent and biodiesel blends greater than 20 percent.
“The National Corn Growers Association appreciates the leadership of Reps. Finkenauer, Craig, Marshall and Bacon to help grow the market for higher blends of ethanol,” said NCGA President Kevin Ross, an Iowa farmer. “Expanding infrastructure for higher blends will help to increase future demand for farmers and ensure biofuels will continue to be included in federal efforts to provide consumers with cleaner, affordable fuels.”
The bill authorizes $500 million over five years to help retailers offer higher ethanol blends, expand the geographic area selling ethanol blends, support biodiesel fuel markets, and accelerate the deployment of fueling infrastructure. The legislation will work alongside the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) to accelerate growth and open new economic opportunities for American farmers and biofuel producers. A vital market for corn farmers, ethanol producers have idled nearly half of their production capacity due to the fallout from COVID-19. Spurring new demand for higher ethanol blends will be an important part of an economic recovery for the ethanol industry and farmers, and this infrastructure deployment will help support that growth.
“The Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA) thanks Representative Abby Finkenauer for her work on the Clean Fuels Deployment Act that will expand long-term economic opportunities for farmers and biofuels producers,” said Kelly Nieuwenhuis farmer from Primghar, Iowa and chair of Iowa Corn’s Industrial Usage committee. “Additionally, this bill will allow consumers to have greater access to homegrown, cleaner-burning fuels.”
