“Our nation has always depended on our farmers to grow the food and fuel we need—and I’m always proud to advocate for Illinois agriculture on both the national and international stage any time I get the chance,” Duckworth said.
“By increasing Illinois’s ethanol exports abroad, we’re encouraging job growth in our state and abroad, prioritizing our national security, protecting our environment and helping secure Illinois’s leadership in the energy sector for years to come.”
During her trip, Duckworth met with the Vice Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hoang Long as well as National Assembly Vice Chairman Tran Quang Phuong to advocate for the benefits of increasing ethanol blends in Vietnam, and how Illinois’s farmers can help achieve those goals.
Duckworth’s trip builds on her previous successes advocating for Illinois’s farmers on the global stage—following an official visit to Taiwan she helped secure a commitment from Taiwan to purchase an estimated $2.6 billion of Illinois’s corn and soybeans, and following an official visit to Japan, Japan announced a regulatory change that will lead to an increase in imports from U.S. biofuel producers, supporting our farmers and growing Illinois’s economy. Last year, South Korea also committed to several biofuels expansions, including a mandate 3.5 percent biodiesel blending, which will be achieved with increased U.S. imports.
In the Senate, Duckworth has been a leader in supporting biofuels, including expansion of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and permanent authority to use E15 fuel year-round. To help increase the availability of E15 year-round, Duckworth helped introduce the bipartisan Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act and the bipartisan Next Generations Fuel Act to allow the year-round, nationwide sale of ethanol blends higher than 10%.
