The new chairman of the House Agriculture Committee made his first official appearance outside Washington at the South Dakota Corn Growers Association annual meeting Saturday, telling farmers that ethanol produced from corn and from new feedstocks such as switchgrass will be one of the forces driving a new farm bill in Congress.
“I tell farmers, in 10 years, you’re going to be growing 25 percent switchgass,” Peterson said.
Also addressing the corn growers was South Dakota Republican Senator John Thune who told the group that developing new feedstocks for ethanol should help the industry grow in other areas. “Corn ethanol is fine,” he said. The challenge for Congress: “Don’t screw it up.”