Trump needs to rein in the EPA

Farmers in Iowa faced a challenging 2019. I operate a family farm in Linn County and I know that one has to be prepared for up and down years - that's part of the job. However, we shouldn't have to deal with a federal government agency abusing its power on top of other factors.

President Donald Trump has expressed his support for the agriculture industry and Iowa farmers during his tenure, but the administration's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is clearly overstepping its bounds and increasing hardship. This December, the EPA disregarded a deal made by Trump and Midwestern lawmakers, and because of that we have significant uncertainty in the biofuels market.

The EPA has continued to hand out refinery exemptions to large petroleum refineries which undermines the Renewable Fuel Standard. A few weeks ago, a federal court ruled that the EPA has abused its power in handing out exemptions to three of these refineries in particular. Actions like these by Washington bureaucrats have destroyed demand for ethanol and hurt farm profits. Rural Iowans, who absorb the brunt of these effects, implore the president to keep his promises to farmers and reign in the EPA.

Jim Lensch

Marion