Citing the drought, 25 senators today asked Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson to waive the Renewable Fuel Standard, the National Chicken Council, the National Pork Producers Council and the National Cattlemen's Beef Association said in news releases.

“As stressful weather conditions continue to push corn yields lower and prices upward, the economic ramifications for consumers, livestock and poultry producers, food manufacturers and foodservice providers will become more severe,” the senators wrote in a letter to Jackson. “We ask you to adjust the corn grain-ethanol mandate of the RFS to reflect this natural disaster and these new market conditions. Doing so will help to ease supply concerns and provide relief from high corn prices.”

The 12 Democrats and 13 Republican who signed the letter were:

• Sen. Kay Hagan, D-N.C.
• Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga.
• Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark.
• Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark.
• Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md.
• Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga.
• Sen. Christopher Coons, D-Del.
• Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.
• Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas
• Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del.
• Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala.
• Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md.
• Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va.
• Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va.
• Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C.
• Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska
• Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M.
• Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La.
• Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.
• Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.
• Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla.
• Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.
• Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho
• Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho
• Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va.

August 7, 2012 – Senate letter to EPA on RFS