Ethanol production good for economy

American farmers today are continuing to harvest an abundant crop and meet all needs for food, feed, fuel and fiber. By providing a value-added market for farmers, the U.S. ethanol industry is an unrivaled engine for job creation and economic opportunity throughout rural America.

The U.S. ethanol industry supports nearly 400,000 Americans all across the nation. In addition, in the past year alone, ethanol added more than $53 billion to the national gross domestic product and displaced the need for more than 445 million barrels of imported oil, valued at $34 billion. Plain and simple, the ethanol industry is saving money for American consumers and producing jobs during a time of financial difficulty the American economy.

The ethanol industry has had a positive impact not only on rural America, but every American citizen as well. We must continue to invest in domestically produced fuels and we must continue public policies that allow our biofuels industry to continue its evolution.

The reduction in government support of the ethanol industry should be phased out over time to allow the industry to adjust, instead of yanking the rug out and sending shock waves through the system.

We must continue to put the power to change America’s energy, economic and environmental future in the hands of those that have long been at the tiller: American farmers.

Chris Gould

Elburn