WASHINGTON – The American Meat Institute joins 103 three organizations from multiple sectors in urging Congress to allow the refundable Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC) to sunset this year and to not accept calls for federal spending on infrastructure for conventional biofuels. The tax credit is set to expire Dec. 31.

“Congress has the opportunity to end the $6 billion a year subsidy to gasoline refiners who blend corn ethanol into gasoline,” stated the letter sent to House Ways and Means, House Energy and Commerce and Senate Finance committees, which have jurisdiction over this matter. “At a time of spiraling deficits, we do not believe Congress should continue subsidizing gasoline refiners for something that they are already required to do by the Renewable Fuels Standard.”


Experts like the Congressional Budget Office and the Government Accountability Office have concluded that the subsidy is unnecessary, and leading economists agree that ending it would have little impact on ethanol production, prices or jobs, the letter noted.

“We urge you to let VEETC expire this year and resist calls for spending on infrastructure for conventional biofuels. As our country moves to reduce our budget deficit, it would be irresponsible to commit to new tax incentives or additional spending that continue to subsidize corn ethanol,” the letter concluded.

Visit theAMI web siteto read the letter.