WASHINGTON – A coalition of 90 organizations including meat, poultry and allied food associations that are against extending the blenders’ credit that subsidizes ethanol production sent letters to Congressional leaders on March 1 urging them to let the refundable Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC) expire and the end of 2011. They also asked Congress to resist calls for spending on infrastructure for conventional biofuels, according to the National Chicken Council, a member of the coalition.

“Congress has the opportunity to end the $6 billion a year subsidy to gasoline refiners who blend corn ethanol into gasoline,” the letter stated. “At a time of spiraling deficits, we do not believe Congress should continue subsidizing gasoline refiners for something that they are already required to do by the Renewable Fuels Standard.”