The National Chicken Council, along with a diverse group of 30 other agricultural, environmental, grassroots, and business organizations sent a letter on Tuesday to top Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate urging them to reject efforts to continue or expand federal support for corn ethanol in any appropriations, tax, or debt reduction package.

The letter stated its opposition to altering the requirements of the Renewable Fuels Standard in a way that would open the definition of advanced biofuels to include corn-based fuels; any expansion of the Alternative Fuels Tax Credit that would allow 85-percent ethanol blends to qualify for the credit; and funding for ethanol “blender pumps” or any other ethanol infrastructure projects.  The groups also urged against any extension of the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit, which is scheduled to expire at the end of this year.

“Any combination of these policies would only serve to expand the market for fuels derived from corn, especially corn ethanol, and exacerbate the many challenges associated with those fuels,” the letter said.

Such organizations as Americans for Tax Reform, Americans for Limited Government, Environmental Working Group, Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace USA, Clean Air Task Force, and the National Resources Defense Council signed the letter in addition to NCC and other agricultural, food, and retail groups.