Sen. Joni Ernst, GOP colleagues press Tom Vilsack on biofuels assistance

Iowa U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst and farm state colleagues are calling on the Biden administration to provide answers for delays in coronavirus pandemic financial assistance to the biofuels industry.

Ernst, Iowa U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley and Republican senators from South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas wrote to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack to remind him they have been advocating for targeted relief for the biofuels industry since the onset of the pandemic and the demand collapse for ethanol, biodiesel, and other renewable fuels.

Ernst, a member of both the Senate Environment and Public Works and Agriculture committees, reminded Vilsack that when the USDA announced in June the availability of $700 million in aid to biofuel producers as part of the USDA Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative, it indicated the funds would flow within 60 days. However, it has been more than 120 days and biofuel producers are still waiting.

“It is simply unacceptable that it has been over 120 days since your announcement and biofuel producers are still waiting,” Ernst and her colleagues wrote. “It is past time our hardworking biofuel producers receive the critical aid that you promised.”

Later Monday, a spokeswoman for the USDA said the agency has prioritized delivering aid to the biofuels industry.

“When we came into office, we took the initiative to review who had not received assistance from the previous administration and we made providing support to the biofuels industry a priority when they had received nothing in 2020,” the spokeswoman said. “We will be accepting applications for this assistance soon.”

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