Advocate for Safe Air & Sign This Petition

By Doug Sombke, SDFU President & fourth-generation South Dakota farmer

As farmers who have advocated for ethanol for nearly four decades, we understand the impact higher ethanol blends can have on our farm economy.

Higher ethanol blends, like E30 would create $42 billion in economic activity to sustain the agricultural-based economies in the United States by increasing demand for corn by 5 billion bushels.

However, have you given much thought to the impact higher ethanol blends, like E30, can have on the air we breath and our children’s health?

Research shows, the additives in fuel are proven carcinogens. Yup, Benzene, Toulene, Ethyl Benzene and Xylene – they all cause cancer, and we’re all breathing them in! And, these additives CAN be removed from gasoline if higher ethanol blends are added to gasoline.

In fact, if these harmful additives were removed from gasoline and replaced by higher ethanol blends, it would decrease premature deaths by 50,000 – because 50,000 deaths in the United States are associated with pollution from transportation fuels.