John Block Reports from Washington

Hello, everybody out there in farm country. This radio commentary is brought to you by the National Corn Growers Association, CropLife America, and Renewable Fuels Association. They are all friends, supporters, and allies of a healthy farm economy and prosperous rural America. Thank you.

And now today’s commentary-

With all the concern about climate change, countries around the world are looking for ways to reduce carbon emissions. We have been told for years that ethanol blended fuel will burn cleaner and reduce green house gas emissions. Here is what Geoff Cooper, President of the Renewable Fuels Association had to say: “Ethanol offers a significant and immediate carbon savings.”

However, out of the blue the critics of the ethanol industry are on the attack. They argue that the
EPA requirements that ethanol plants use certain emission controls are not being followed. They
say that EPA has been willing to provide processing exemptions to many of the older plants.
They argue the ethanol industry is not required to follow the 2007 law. There could be a real
fight brewing between ethanol critics, including the oil industry, and ethanol and farm leaders. We need clean fuel and I think the ag industry will deliver.

Here is another clean air issue. There is a lot of concern in the U.S. livestock industry about the
possibility the EPA could require emission permits related to livestock. Farm leaders support
Senator John Thune (R-SD). He wants to pass legislation to stop the EPA from trying to tell us
how to farm. I remember the good old days when President Ronald Reagan worked to cut
government regulations. The EPA argues “the US simply cannot achieve its climate change
mitigation goals without addressing agriculture.” O.K. But, maybe they should put a priority on
the need to produce enough food to feed a hungry world.

Agriculture has another challenge that I had not even thought about. By this weekend there is
serious risk of a huge strike of labor unions that work for our railroads. The unions that represent
1000s of employees – will not be there to transport our grain at harvest (and harvest is upon us)
We need an agreement. President Biden appointed a bipartisan group to negotiate a resolution to
the problem. Some of the big unions won’t accept the agreement. Unless this is resolved by this
weekend, then Congress could intervene and block the work stoppage. But will they? We don’t
know at this moment where we go from here. Stay tuned. To everyone on the farms – this is
harvest. Don’t take chances. Farming is a dangerous business.
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