Cloverdale Ethanol Plant Idles Production In Latest Threat To Area Farmers

The owner of a Cloverdale ethanol plant is blaming the Trump administration for stopping its production of biofuels.

Poet officials say in a press release EPA waivers have cut biofuels demand by 4 billion gallons and reduced the demand for corn by 1.4 billion bushels.

Indiana Farm Bureau’s Director of National Government Relations, Bob White, says local farmers will likely have to find a new market for their crops if production doesn’t return.

"The impact to the ag industry is traumatic at best," he says. "The rural community of Cloverdale and the surrounding area."

White says the loss of export markets and retaliatory tariffs from the Chinese government are also to blame.

Poet, the company responsible for the Cloverdale production halt, was not immediately available for comment.