Farm Compliance

Washington, DC - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson today addressed delegates to the National Corn Growers Association’s semiannual Corn Congress, where she stressed the importance of addressing climate change and developing clean, renewable energy. After her remarks, NCGA presented the administrator with dozens of hand-written notes from growers at the meeting, requesting her agency to allow higher ethanol blends.

“There’s almost no sector of our economy that has been – or will be – more vulnerable to climate change than agriculture,” Administrator Jackson said. Jackson stressed the benefits for agriculture that were put into the current climate legislation, passed recently by the House of Representatives, and which will be taken up by the Senate in September.

“It was very good of Administrator Jackson to take the time to visit with us,” said NCGA President Bob Dickey. “Our growers are very concerned about the need to protect and expand the market for corn ethanol and were very forthright in the notes we provided her about the importance of higher blends.”

In her remarks, Jackson also spoke about corn ethanol and promised that policies on international indirect land use analysis will go through an intensive review process.

“With regard to the international indirect land use analysis, EPA has committed to an extensive and open peer review process,” Jackson said. “We’ve also extended the public comment period to ensure everyone has an opportunity to speak on the issue. Our approach on this is consistent with my commitment to transparency and the use of science-based policies in our decision making.”

Finally, the EPA head stressed the importance of green energy.

“Clean energy is to this decade and the next what the Space Race was to the 1950s and 60s, and America is behind while other countries are seizing the moment,” Jackson said. “American businesses need strong incentives and investments now in order for this nation to lead the 21st Century global economy. We need to reassume our technological and economic leadership in the world to avert climate changes that would harm our economy, environment, and national security. And we need to act to ensure the sustainability of agricultural communities that are already feeling the effects of climate change.”