Palmyra, Wisconsin – Members of the Wisconsin Corn Growers Association are calling for quick approval of S. 3231, the Grow Renewable Energy from Ethanol Naturally Jobs Act of 2010, or the GREEN Jobs Act of 2010, introduced earlier this week in the United States Senate by Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Kent Conrad (D-ND). S. 3231 mirrors bipartisan legislation introduced last month in the House by Congressmen Earl Pomeroy (D-North Dakota) and John Shimkus (R-Illinois).
The bill provides an extension of existing incentives for American biofuel production for another five years, including the ethanol blender tax credit, known as the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC), and the tariff on foreign ethanol. If the law is not passed, both the tax credit and tariff will expire at the end of 2010. Both bills would also extend a credit for small producers for five years and a credit for producing cellulosic ethanol.
“Ethanol pumps millions of dollars each year into Wisconsin’s economy and farm families, while also helping reduce our nation’s costly dependence on foreign oil,” said Brian Long, President of the Wisconsin Corn Growers Association. “Wisconsin’s growing season is off to an early start and it’s likely we once again will have a large surplus of corn in the country. The important incentives included in these bills will help us use that corn to create American jobs and ensure our country continues on the path towards energy independence. We hope Senators Kohl and Feingold will add their names to the bill and that Congress will act quickly to approve this legislation.”
Long pointed to a recent University of Missouri study that found Wisconsin’s economy would be sharply impacted if the tariff on foreign ethanol was allowed to expire. The analysis determined thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in economic activity would disappear from Wisconsin without the tariff. For more information on the impact see http://www.wicornpro.org.
WCGA is a membership organization that represents the interest of state corn growers in the growing and managing of corn grown both for on-farm feeding and commercial sale. WCGA works with other organizations in areas of mutual concern, including conservation, environment, biotech issues, resistance management, pesticide issues, farmland taxation and valuation. WCGA brings together corn growers to provide information and education at regional corn conferences and the annual Wisconsin Corn/Soy EXPO. As part of NCGA, WCGA represents corn grower interests nationally and internationally and also sponsors the annual corn yield contest.
Additional information on WCGA is available online at http://www.wicorn.org or by calling the Wisconsin Corn Program Office at 262-495-2232 or via E-mail at info@wicornpro.org. ###
