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Trump touts year-round E15 during Iowa stop

The president’s visit to the Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy ethanol plant near Council Bluffs was billed as a celebration of his administration’s approval of year-round E15. And Trump was happy to take credit.

“Under the previous administration, our leaders rejected American energy and they rejected ethanol,” Trump said. “They refused to even allow talk of E15 during the busiest driving months of the year. How ridiculous was that? We took it from eight months to 12 beautiful months—all year long.”

Iowa farmer and National Corn Growers president-elect Kevin Ross thanked Trump, but also urged him to address the RFS small refinery waivers.

“Mr. President, you delivered on E15. But we have more work to do. The EPA’s oil refinery waivers threaten to undo your good works,” Ross said.

Trump also touched on trade issues and he promised better times for farmers once those issues are resolved.

“With a year-and-a-half, I would say you’ll be in the best position that you’ve been in, in 15 years, as farmers—and you deserve it,” Trump said.

He also called on Congress to bring the USMCA trade pact up for a vote.