Now is not the time to work against American produced ethanol — especially as we work to commercialize cellulosic ethanol. Americans, more than ever, are looking to home-grown alternative energy sources such as ethanol to meet their energy needs in a cleaner, more cost-effective way. Thankfully, the U.S. has made many investments and great strides in developing our domestic ethanol industry, and to further that growth, we need to continue to focus on and invest in research and production here at home.
However, in what can only come as a step backward for U.S. farmers and our biofuels industry, the Administration has recently signed a pact with Brazil that could result in U.S. funds subsidizing the production of foreign ethanol. It makes no sense to replace one source of foreign energy with another.