RFA estimates dozens of ethanol plants idled in early 2021

In Washington, Successful Farming reports the Renewable Fuels Association estimates dozens of ethanol plants have been idled already this year following post-COVID recovery seen in Q4 2020. When ethanol plant margins took a dive into negative numbers in December, plants who had barely begun to recover saw the writing on the wall. Corn prices have been rising steadily, eating into margins, and just this week broke past $5 per bushel. The RFA hopes that summer driving will pick up and bring ethanol demand back near to normal levels despite the continued COVID-19 pandemic.