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RFA CEO weaves baseball into State of Ethanol report

The CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association turned to baseball to describe 2018 in his State of the Industry Report during the National Ethanol Conference in Orlando. 

Geoff Cooper says America’s Pass Time provides endless metaphors.

“In baseball there are games it seems where your team is doing everything right, but you just can’t pull ahead. That’s exactly how 2018 felt for the ethanol industry.”

While highlighting record production and strong exports in the past year, Cooper says small refinery exemptions have undercut the industry.

He likens those behind the waivers to the New York Yankees.

“They have seemingly limitless resources, they play to win at any cost, they play dirty.”

But despite historically low ethanol prices, Cooper suggests there’s a lot of baseball left to be played.

“With one bad pitch, one lazy throw, one sloppy play by the opponent, we are right back in this thing.”