UNITED STATES CONGRESSMAN GARY MILLER Proudly Serving California's 31st District

Washington, Aug 3, 2012 - Click here for entire Capitol Connection Newsletter  This week, the House passed a $383 million package to reauthorize several expired agricultural disaster assistance programs to compensate livestock producers and certain other farmers for losses incurred from October 1, 2011 through September 30, 2012.  Instead of spending taxpayer dollars on programs that won’t address the rising cost of food that is expected to occur as a result of this summer’s drought, Congressman Miller believes the federal government should waive a requirement that forces approximately 40 percent of the U.S. corn crop to be diverted to ethanol fuel production. It has been estimated that 80 percent of the renewable fuel standard for 2013 – 13.8 billion gallons - will be fulfilled by ethanol derived from corn. With this summer’s drought taking its toll on the U.S. corn crop, it makes no sense to continue reducing the corn supply available for livestock and poultry producers. Congressman Miller joined over 150 of his colleagues this week in calling on the EPA Administrator to exercise her authority to waive the ethanol mandate as a common-sense way to provide immediate relief for our nation’s farmers, ranchers and consumers.