Former President Donald Trump selected Ohio Senator JD Vance as his vice-presidential running mate for the 2024 election. In “First Thing Today” we highlighted Vance’s stance on agriculture and energy. Several Pro Farmer Members asked about his position on biofuels. We can infer some alignment between Vance and Trump’s policies on biofuels based on the following points:
· Vance has become a strong supporter of Trump’s policies since aligning himself with the former president. He has shifted his views on various issues to match Trump’s positions.
· Trump has been supportive of ethanol and biofuels, particularly in relation to the agricultural sector. In 2018, Trump ordered EPA to expand sales of corn ethanol, which was seen as a gift to farm states and corn producers.
· Trump’s directive aimed to increase the availability of E15 gasoline (containing 15% ethanol) year-round, which was a significant move to support corn growers and the ethanol industry.
· Vance has positioned himself as pro-Trump and supportive of policies that benefit domestic industries. As a senator from Ohio, an agricultural state, he is likely to be attentive to policies that support farmers.
· Vance has been critical of Biden administration policies related to energy, including the Inflation Reduction Act, which he claims has made the economy less energy independent. This suggests he may favor policies that support domestic energy production, potentially including biofuels.
· While we can find no explicit statements from Vance on ethanol and biodiesel, his alignment with Trump’s policies and his representation of an agricultural state suggest he may support similar pro-biofuel stances. However, it’s important to note that Vance has also been supportive of the oil and gas industry, which could potentially conflict with strong support for biofuels.
