LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Posted December 24, 2019
Dear Editor:
As a corn farmer, I am concerned about the future of rural Michigan, including my farm. During the campaign trail, we heard President Trump's promises to support farmers; however, His actions in Washington DC do not match his words on the campaign. Instead, the President's actions out of Washington DC continue to support only the most powerful players, like big oil companies, while harming the livelihood of farmers like me.
Over the last several months, President Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has sided with the likes of big oil companies and refused to repair the damage done by special refinery waivers that have destroyed the demand for biofuels made from farm crops. These waivers have ultimately lost billions of gallons of ethanol and caused several ethanol plants to shut down, creating more pain for farmers and employees.
Although President Trump ordered the EPA to restore all the lost gallons, as the law requires, the EPA pulled a bait-and-switch by introducing a rule that offers farmers no certainty on moving forward. While I am grateful the president expressed his support for the farm community, it's imperative the EPA act on his words.
Eric Voisinet
Laingsburg MI 48848
