More than 270 million bushels of Illinois corn is used to produce ethanol - about 50 percent of the total production in the United States. More than 160 million bushels of corn are used to produce ethanol for the Chicago area, where 99 percent of the gasoline sold contains ethanol. Illinois Department of Agriculture Director Joe Hampton testified about the importance of the ethanol industry to Illinois farmers. With Illinois farmers facing some of the lowest commodity prices in years, there needs to be an assurance for ethanol in the future. If ethanol or the oxygenate requirement is eliminated, Illinois farmers would forfeit a market of at least 160 million gallons of ethanol and 70 million bushels of grain usage.
Ethanol is a win-win solution.
It's a renewable fuel, fights air pollution and doesn't contaminate water supplies.