The oil industry used its power in the Trump White House to
gain 31 new exemptions from blending ethanol as required by the renewable fuels
standard. This goes along with a number of other exemptions that were already
granted to the oil industry. Companies like Exxon and Chevron were able to get
President Trump himself to grant these exemptions.
So, it’s clear that big oil is in charge of Trump’s energy
policy. They’ve proven it time and time again. President Trump has gone out of
his way to speak against alternative energy and in favor of fossil fuels. Going
as far as to say that wind towers
cause
cancer
.
For farmers, that’s a real problem.
The problem hits home even harder this time. Corn prices
have already plummeted to a point where farmers couldn’t even make a buck raising
corn. The administration is responsible for a huge part of that. So, by taking
the side of oil over farmers, they have put ethanol producers in a position
where they will reduce or cease production in many plants.
Gas prices were already low. You may not agree with that
when you fill up your car, but they are. When gas prices are low, it’s not good
for ethanol. Ethanol costs a lot to produce and that cost doesn’t fluctuate
like a barrel of oil does. The only thing that fluctuates when oil prices are
low is the tolerance of the oil industry to blend ethanol with it.
In other words, they want it
all
. They aren’t in the
mood to share any profit they make when oil is law. Actually, they’ve never
been in the mood to share any profit, especially with something they know is
renewable.
Especially
with farmers.
There in lies the overall problem. Under this
administration, oil is in charge. They have been since the beginning. Harold
Hamm and Continental Oil were working for Donald Trump before he was the
nominee. They bet on the right horse and now that horse is paying off.
Farmers bet on that horse too. They didn’t bet on it to
place or show, but they bet on it to win. And win, Trump did.
The problem for farmers is that they never were invited into
the winner’s circle.
When it comes to energy, they were never welcome.
Good riding with you.
(Joel Heitkamp is a talk show host on the Mighty 790 KFGO in Fargo-Moorhead. His award-winning program, “News & Views,” can be heard weekdays from 8 – 11 a.m. Follow Joel on Twitter @JoelKFGO.)
