Farm groups sue over increased ethanol requirement

The food and fuel industries are striking back against E15 in the courts. A coalition of interest groups is suing to block a recent decision by the Environmental Protection Agency that allows the sale of 15 percent ethanol blends for late model cars and trucks.

The coalition suing to block E15 includes hog, turkey and chicken farmers, the Grocery Manufacturers Association and the American Petroleum Institute. The groups say the EPA's decision means more corn will go to make ethanol, leading to higher livestock feed costs and and rising food prices.

David Preisler, executive director of the Minnesota Pork Producers Association, says if the E15 decision takes effect, there may not be enough corn to go around.

"We're not opposed to ethanol. But we need to make sure that there is enough corn to satisfy the needs of all end users," said Preisler. "We're finding ourselves in a position with the corn crop that was harvested this year, where that just did not occur."

Preisler says corn supplies are short even though farmers are harvesting their third largest corn crop ever.

The EPA decision approved the use of 15 percent ethanol in all vehicles made in 2007 or later. Ethanol producers say they expect E15 to be available by early next year. Ethanol supporters say the higher blends are needed to help the industry meet federal mandates to increase ethanol production.

Ethanol production consumes more than one-third of the U.S. corn harvest.