Eight state departments of agriculture are asking Congress to extend the ethanol tax incentive set to expire at the end of the year.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today joined seven of his colleagues in requesting congressional leaders to act quickly to extend the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC), which expires at the end of the year. Legislation has been introduced in both the Senate and House of Representatives that would extend the current ethanol tax policies to 2015.

“The failure to extend the biodiesel tax credit and the damage that has been done to that industry clearly highlight the need to act in a timely manner to make sure these critical policies are in place by the end of the year,” Northey said.

Northey was joined in sending the letter by Jon Farris, South Dakota Acting Secretary of Agriculture; Robert J. Boggs, Director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture; Doug Goehring, North Dakota Commissioner of Agriculture; Tom Jennings, Director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture; Dr. Jon Hagler, Director of the Missouri Department of Agriculture, Rod Nilsestuen, Wisconsin Secretary of Agriculture; and Greg Ibach, Director of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture.