Expanding markets both at home and abroad is key to improving the farm economy, according to CHS President and CEO Jay Debertin. He says agriculture needs a two-pronged approach, focusing on expanding global trade while also increasing use of crops at home. “One is on the trade front to increase opportunities around the world for exports of agricultural commodities,” Debertin said. “The second route is domestic consumption and trying to build domestic consumption to also utilize more of the crop that’s grown here in the United States.” He says renewable fuels offer one of the most immediate opportunities, particularly ethanol. “What we think is a necessary step to build domestic consumption is to allow E15 to be a 12-month product throughout the country,” Debertin said. “It doesn’t solve all our issues, but there is no single answer that solves all the issues.” Debertin also stresses the importance of farmer involvement, urging producers to share their priorities with policymakers, especially on year-round E15.
