Despite the win going to the renewable energy industry for the Renewable Fuel Standard to remain in play with no penalties, the National Chicken Council is still attempting to blame the RFS and biofuels for the reduced number of chicken wings this coming Super Bowl.

In response to the rough play, Growth Energy called several penalties:

• “Roughing the facts” – 40 percent of the corn crop is not used for biofuel production, that is a complete fabrication. The reality is that only a net of 17 percent of the corn crop is used for renewable fuel production, as the production of biofuels has a co-product, distillers grains.  In the process only the starch is removed from the kernel, leaving all of the protein, oil and fiber resulting in a highly nutritious, less expensive animal feed.
• “Offsides” – For calling the most successful energy policy the nation has enacted in the last forty years a mandate, when in fact it has reduced our dependence on foreign oil and increased our energy security.
• “Personal Foul” – Trying to blame the ethanol industry for increased commodity costs is disingenuous and misplaced. The true culprit is Mother Nature and there is no tool available to alter the unpredictable weather.
• “Pass Interference” – For continuing to accept the status quo of our dangerous addiction to foreign oil for some of the most unstable regions around the world.
• “Holding” – For aggressively fighting against a policy that is creating jobs right here at home that cannot be outsourced and is revitalizing rural communities across our nation.
• “Encroachment” – For propagating misinformation in attempts to repeal a policy that is helping produce sustainable, renewable fuel to meet our growing energy needs, which is cleaner burning and better for the air we breathe and our environment.
• “Roughing the Consumer” – For actively seeking to prevent market access of a less expensive, higher performance fuel, denying the consumer a choice and savings at the pump.

According the Growth Energy, “In assessing the numerous penalties, it appears that Colonel Sanders should stay behind the fryer making the wings instead of trying to influence public policy through penalties, misinformation and scare tactics.”

Don’t worry, enjoy your wings this Super Bowl, but Growth Energy wants to remind you to not to believe the big lies and fowl penalties served up by Big Chicken.