“Full and Unequivocal Support”: Rollins Reaffirms Support for E15 Legislation, Affirms “It Will” Lower Gas Prices

"Full and Unequivocal Support": Rollins Reaffirms Support for E15 Legislation, Affirms "It Will" Lower Gas Prices

Secretary Rollins says no small refinery shut down due to E15 availability

Grassley also discussed New World screwworm, helping small family farmers and reducing input costs.

WASHINGTON?- In response to questioning from Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a lifelong family farmer and a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins reaffirmed President Trump's "full and unequivocal support" for E15, which the president announced in Iowa earlier this year.

Rollins said E15 would boost America's rural economy and generate an additional $14 billion in corn demand. When asked if E15 would give consumers a cheaper option at the gas pump, Rollins responded, "yes, it will … and in a time where we're working so hard on affordability, that becomes even more important." The secretary noted she hadn't heard of any small refineries shutting down due to the availability of E15.

On New World screwworm, Grassley reiterated his calls for aggressive prevention, treatment and containment, including the use of vaccines, to protect the U.S. cattle herd and stop an outbreak in the United States from impacting livelihoods, trade and the price of beef for consumers.

Grassley also pressed Rollins on rising input costs and asked whether USDA's push to delay rulemaking under the Packers and Stockyards Act would help meatpackers more than family farmers.

Video and excerpts follow.

VIDEO

On President Trump's support for E15:

GRASSLEY: It wouldn't surprise you if I was talking about E15... Does the Trump administration support legislation for [the] year-round sale of E15 nationwide?

ROLLINS: Yes...[h]e did [support it] the first term but then reiterated it in the second term in the great state of Iowa a couple of months ago, his full and unequivocal support.

On E15's benefit to the rural economy:

GRASSLEY: Will year-round E15 boost America's rural economy?

ROLLINS: Correct.

GRASSLEY: Have you heard a figure of E15 by law that would bring $14 billion back into the farm economy? That's what the Corn Growers' economists have said.

ROLLINS: Correct, I have heard that and agree.

On E15 lowering gas prices at the pump:

GRASSLEY: Will E15 give consumers a cheaper option at the gas pump?

ROLLINS: Yes, it will.

GRASSLEY: ...[I]t seems to be somewhere between 20 and 40 cents a gallon.

ROLLINS: And in a time where we're working so hard on affordability, that becomes even more important.

On E15 supporting national security:

GRASSLEY: Does year-round E15 bolster our national security?

ROLLINS: There is no national security without farm security. This administration, for the first time in the history of our country, has put agriculture as part of the national security plan. And so, yes, being able to protect those farmers and what E15 means to them and opening up a domestic market, while we're opening up the international market, is a priority.

On no small refineries shutting down due to the availability of E15:

GRASSLEY: EPA Director Zeldin testified before another committee in the Senate that during the eight years of presidential waivers for E15, no small refineries have ever shut down. Do you know of any information about small refineries shutting down?

ROLLINS: I have not heard of any small refinery shutting down.

On combating New World screwworm:

It's been a couple months, maybe three months, since I talked to you about vaccination for screwworms … what's the chances of use of vaccination to get us beyond this? Because, when I called you, there [were] no screwworms noticed in the United States. Maybe they were here, but they weren't verified... I know that there are voices in the cabinet that don't like vaccinations, and from that standpoint, I expect you to speak for agriculture and not listen to any of those other people that might be trying to convince you that, for the screwworm thing, we shouldn't be doing vaccination. Because they don't know anything about agriculture, and you do. And you shouldn't be listening to them. And, if you're getting pressure from higher up to do that, let me know, so I can defend you.

Delayed rulemaking under the Packers and Stockyards Act:

Last week, your department announced that it would be delaying the "Poultry Grower Payment System and Capital Improvement Systems" rulemaking under the Packers and Stockyards Act.

During your confirmation hearing, I brought up this rule and the others that were finalized under the previous administration. I said then that the Packers and Stockyards Act is the most effective tool to make sure that the marketplace works for the American farmer. You said that you were looking forward to working with me to focus on our small family farmers.

So, first of all, going back to your becoming secretary, and maybe going back 10 or 15 years, I've been involved in trying to help these poultry farmers not be screwed by the people that they're producing the chickens for. So, how does this delay help our small family farmers, and does this delay help meatpackers more than family farmers?

…

I'll sum this up by saying that, in the USDA's notice in the Federal Register, it said that of the 2,800 comments and 225 unique comments, "one large poultry integrator, two meat and poultry trade associations…" support the delay, but the real poultry growers and grower organizations opposed this proposal.

Rising input costs:

I'd like to thank you, Secretary Rollins, and the Trump administration for all the work of addressing fertilizer prices. It continues to be a top issue in Iowa. From lowering tariffs, to adding phosphate and potash to the critical minerals list, and more, I appreciate all the administration is doing to provide relief and provide support, and I hope you support my legislation that would provide transparency. And, I'm sure you do.

I understand that the department is seeking to hire an inputs economist to focus on providing insights to farmers on the prices they pay for inputs like fertilizer. Is the position filled, or is it a revolving door?

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