Durbin Meets With CEO Of Corn Growers Association
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, today met with Jon Doggett, CEO of the National Corn Growers Association, to discuss agriculture priorities in Illinois.
“Today, I was pleased to meet with Mr. Doggett and hear how the National Corn Growers Association is supporting our farmers in Illinois, the importance of trade with Mexico and Canada, and their work on farmer-led soil health improvements,” Durbin said. “We also discussed their recent partnership with the Environmental Defense Fund to help farmers achieve economic benefits from conservation and climate practices.”
Durbin continued, “I was also pleased to see today’s report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that continues to affirm how ethanol lowers greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional vehicle fuels, which is why I will continue to push the EPA to not delay in allowing E15 to be sold year-round. This policy change would be both good for the environment and help Illinois farmers facing financial headwinds.”
In October, President Trump committed the EPA to lift summer restrictions on ethanol blends up to E15. EPA must issue this rule by June 1, 2019, to ensure that E15 can be sold at retailers this summer. Last Congress, Durbin co-sponsored the Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act, a bill that would allow the sale of E15 year-round.
A photo of today’s meeting is available here.