There has been a big push for more ethanol production in the United States, but ag groups warn competition with Brazil is putting that growth in jeopardy.
The U.S. does not tariff imports of Brazilian ethanol, but earlier this year, Brazil renewed an 18 percent tariff on U.S. ethanol imports.
Biofuels groups call the situation ‘unfair’, and say exports to Brazil have taken a hit since the tariff was reintroduced. Renewable Fuels Association CEO Geoff Cooper says more needs to be done.
“Clearly what we’re doing isn’t working with Brazil, they’re not budging on that tariff. And as I mentioned it at the front of this call, at the same time, they’ve got a wall up to our ethanol. We are, you know, waving through their tallow, and frankly, their ethanol is coming into this country essentially duty-free and it’s just it, it just isn’t fair.”
