Last week AFP joined a large coalition of organizations in sending a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), calling on the Senators to let taxpayer subsidies for ethanol expire as scheduled.

The text of the letter is available below.

March 22nd, 2012

Dear Senate Leaders,

The undersigned diverse group of business, hunger and development, agricultural, environmental, budget, grassroots, and free market organizations urge you to reject any efforts to include continued or expanded federal support for corn ethanol in any legislation, even if the legislation is unlikely to pass. In particular, we oppose:

Any renewal of the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit or any other similar tax credit.

Altering the requirements of the Renewable Fuels Standard in a way that would open the definition of advanced biofuels to include corn-based fuels.

Any expansion of current alternative fuel tax credits that would allow ethanol blends (E10, E15, or E85) or related infrastructure projects to qualify for the credit.

Funding for ethanol “blender pumps” or any other ethanol infrastructure projects.

Any one or combination of these policies would only serve to subsidize the market for fuels derived from corn, especially corn ethanol, and exacerbate the many environmental, social, and economic challenges associated with those fuels. Again, we urge you to reject efforts to include continued or expanded federal support for corn ethanol in any legislation.

Sincerely,

ActionAid USA
American Bakers Association
American Frozen Food Institute
Americans for Limited Government
Americans for Prosperity
Americans for Tax Reform
American Meat Institute
California Dairy Campaign
California Poultry Federation
Clean Water Action
Competitive Enterprise Institute
Dairy Producers of New Mexico
Dairy Producers of Utah
Energy Justice Network
Freedom Action
Friends of the Earth
Grocery Manufacturers Association
Idaho Dairymen’s Association
Indiana State Poultry Association
Michigan Allied Poultry Industries
Milk Producers Council
National Black Chamber of Commerce
National Chicken Council
National Council of Chain Restaurants
National Meat Association
National Restaurant Association
National Taxpayers Union
National Turkey Federation
North Carolina Poultry Federation
Northwest Dairy Association
Oregon Dairy Farmers Association
Oxfam America
Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council
Southeast Milk Inc
Taxpayers for Common Sense
Taxpayers Protection Alliance
Texas Broiler and Egg Council
Texas Poultry Federation
The Poultry Federation of Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma
Virginia Poultry Federation
Washington State Dairy Federation