To the editor:

As a past president of the Iowa Corngrowers Association and someone who has farmed in Iowa for the past 45 years, I wasn’t entirely surprised the most recent Iowa Poll showed that 85 percent of residents in the state believe that ethanol is critically or fairly important to the Iowa economy. With the industry supporting tens of thousands of jobs and purchasing more than half of all the corn grown in the state, Iowa’s ethanol plants remain critical to the health of our jobs market and the long-term sustainability of agriculture.

As a result, it is important that we take the steps necessary to shore up and even bolster this critical industry. Summit Carbon Solutions’ Midwest Carbon Express project will help make significant progress toward achieving that goal. This project would significantly reduce the carbon intensity score of the ethanol produced at more than 30 ethanol plants across the Midwest, including 12 here in Iowa. As a result, these facilities will be able to access the increasing number of markets that have adopted low carbon fuel standards and pay a premium to purchase more sustainable fuels. This is a significant economic opportunity for ethanol producers and the corn growers who sell their products to local ethanol plants.

Although this project is in the early stages, it is critical that it continues to move forward and goes into operation as soon as possible. With all the challenges in recent years, from trade wars to small refinery waivers to the derecho windstorm, now is the time to recommit to enhancing our ag economy.

Bill Horan

Rockwell City