Testimony of Wesley Spurlock

Corn Producers Association of Texas

on June 25, 2015 before the Environmental Protection Agency

Hearing on Renewable Fuel Standard: Proposed Renewable Fuel 

Volumes for Calendar Years 2014, 2015 and 2016

Thank you for the opportunity to testify today. My name is Wesley Spurlock, and I 

am speaking against the proposed renewable fuel volumes for calendar years 2014, 

2015 and 2016.

I live in Stratford, Texas, a small town in the Texas Panhandle, I farm nearly 

10,000 acres of corn, cotton, wheat and grain sorghum. I currently serve on the 

board of directors for the Corn Producers Association of Texas, and am speaking on 

behalf of our association’s membership and myself.

While the oil and gas industry may play a prominent role in my state’s economy, 

ethanol and renewable fuels are important not only to myself and other growers, 

but to our state’s economy as a whole. The renewable fuel sector generates $12.6 

billion of total economic output in Texas annually. This sector also supports 53,871 

jobs and generates $2.9 billion in wages annually, contributing $563.5 million in 

federal taxes.

From an environmental standpoint, it could be argued that no one has a greater 

stake in looking out for and caring for our natural resources than farmers. I am a 

fourth generation farmer, and have two younger generations that have recently 

returned to farm. This farming legacy is something I cherish and hope to continue 

passing down to future generations – I can only do that by preserving our family’s 

land and natural resources. 

By implementing better management strategies and new technologies I can produce 

the same bushel of corn my father did with half as much water. A recent study 

shows farmers have decreased irrigation by 53 percent, land use by 30 percent, soil 

erosion by 67 percent, energy use by 43 percent, and greenhouse-gas emissions by 

36 percent for each bushel of corn.

However, as I look at the overall sustainability of my farm, I must also consider its 

economics. As a businessman, this has been tricky in recent months with the price 

of corn dropping well below the cost of production. Your agency’s proposal will 
displace nearly 1.5 billion bushels of corn – this action will negatively impact the 

price of corn and drive it further below the cost of production. These implications 

reach beyond the farmers’ wallets, and can easily increase government outlays in 

risk management – something I think everyone in this room can agree we don’t 

want.

Texas is the second-largest agriculture state due to its crop production, as well as

its vast livestock industry. Many Texas farmers are both crop and livestock 

producers. With this diverse background, I can appreciate the importance of the 

ethanol market to the agricultural industry as a whole. Even with the growing 

demand for corn for ethanol, livestock feed remains the largest use for U.S. corn. 

While our nation’s farmers have continued to meet this demand for feed, the 

ethanol industry has introduced a new, arguably equally important, feed for our 

livestock – distillers grains. 

The availability of DGs displaces approximately 1 billion bushels of corn in livestock 

rations, providing an efficient, high-quality, and high-value feed product for 

livestock produces both domestically and internationally. As such, the effect of 

ethanol on the cost of feeding livestock is minimal – as is evident with current corn 

prices.

The Renewable Fuel Standard in its entirety is an invaluable program to our nation 

from an economic and environmental standpoint. The RFS pushes our nation to 

meet and exceed standards that will make America an ideal environment to live in, 

while encouraging positive domestic economic growth. 

The proposal put forth by the EPA this year is a huge step back from all the 

progress gained since the inception of the RFS. I urge the EPA to restore the 

Renewable Volume Obligations for each year to the statutory amount and maintain 

a strong methodology.