December 19, 2011
By Gale Lush, Chairman

Wilcox, NEB – December 19, 2011 – “As American taxpayers, consumers, travelers and shoppers hit the road on their holiday travels to visit family and enjoy Christmas and New Year’s celebrations, food and other merchandise retailers, large and small alike, should all give thanks for the approximate 15 billion gallons of ethanol present in our U.S. fuel supply,” says Gale Lush, Chairman of the American Corn Growers Foundation (ACGF). “That 15 billion gallons increases total fuel supply and decreases the total spent by motorists on fuel by holding down gas prices. That additional disposable income is an economic gift. U.S. merchandisers would have much less business without ethanol in the fuel supply.”

“According to an April 2011 Iowa State University report, gasoline prices across the nation would average nearly $1 per gallon higher without ethanol in the U.S. fuel pipeline. That ethanol supply factor helps hold down gasoline prices from what they otherwise would be. Without those billions of gallons of ethanol in our fuel supply consumers, shoppers and travelers would have a lot less discretionary income to spend on food, on travel and on gifts because they would be spending about $20 more every time they add 20 gallons of fuel to their gas tanks,” said Lush.

Lush added, “As December 31, 2011 nears consumers, retail merchants and taxpayers should be made well aware that the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC), as well as the ethanol import duty, both end effective 12/31/11, as dictated by Congress. It is unfortunate that Congress let Big Oil call the shots. Congress should have cut oil subsidies and extended ethanol incentives so as to rapidly build our renewable fuels industry and our energy independence, while providing major economic gain to U.S. motorists and consumers. Remember, those ethanol incentive benefits were passed through to motorists via lower gas prices. Extra ethanol-incentive-driven consumer spending helped the economy.”

“All U.S. food retailers, numerous merchants across the U.S. economy, and consumers alike should be really tuned in and preparing to be part of a major ethanol-supportive coalition that rallies to protect the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) for ethanol in the coming year. Some of the same anti-renewable fuel forces inside and outside of Congress, have ill-conceived agendas targeting the RFS for reduction or elimination. That would work against all sectors of our U.S. economy from farmer to consumer. Consumers need to always remember that yellow field corn (not primarily human food corn) is used for ethanol production and only the starch from that yellow field corn actually is used to produce ethanol. The protein, minerals, vitamins and other components go right out of the ethanol plants and head to the livestock feeding sector, providing high quality food products for food retailers to market and for consumers to purchase and enjoy worldwide. This holiday season is an important time for farmers and consumers to celebrate their interdependence with one another. Acknowledging the many benefits provided to both from corn ethanol, its related industries and jobs, its high quality food products and economic sustainability and its contribution to energy security is a good place to start,” said Lush.

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