date:Dec 02, 2013
The U.S. government in recent years has not needed to prop up grain farmers' income with subsidies, but those payments could come roaring back if the lower ethanol mandate proposed this month drives corn prices lower, as many analysts expect.
The likely change to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) comes as lawmakers are in the final stages of deliberations on a new five-year farm bill.
The bill is expected to abolish a direct subsidy payment made to farmers, which costs about $2 billion a year,