Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump promised to protect the Renewable Fuel Standard and corn-based ethanol, eliminate burdensome regulations like the Waters of the United States rule (“which is a disaster”) and provide tax relief to farmers in a speech in Des Moines over the weekend, says the Des Moines Register. Trump also said he would use immigration laws to prevent crime. “We will move justly but we will move fast, believe me. And we will move tough,” he said.
The comments on agriculture were a subordinate part of a hard-edged speech on immigration, punctuating a week in which Trump discussed a more humane approach to illegal immigration, said the Register. Trump spoke at a fundraiser organized by Sen Joni Ernst. Trump has promised to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and to deport the estimated 11 million people in the country illegally. Details are expected in the coming week.
On ethanol, the Register quoted Trump as saying, “President Obama has lied to you about his support for the Renewable Fuels Standard,” adding, “You can trust Hillary Clinton far less than you could even Obama.” The Obama administration scaled back modestly on mandated use of corn ethanol in 2015 and 2016 while halving the target for “advanced” biofuels such as ethanol made from shrubs and grasses. The EPA relaxed the RFS mandate in the face of oil industry arguments that the fuel market is saturated at the traditional 10 percent blend of ethanol into gasoline and because advanced biofuels have yet to reach commercial volumes.
Trump said he would step up use of the E-Verify system to ensure it is legal to employ a job applicant, and visa tracking to assure people leave the country on time, said the New York Times. “But Mr Trump largely avoided the question that has caused him trouble this week: What to do about the undocumented immigrants already in the country.” A large portion of agricultural workers are believed to be undocumented. Major farm groups have backed immigration reform.