KY Corn supports the new bilateral trade agreement with the United Kingdom (UK) that increases access for agricultural products, including ethanol. The agreement was announced by President Donald Trump at a morning press conference at the White House.
Josh Lancaster, President of the Kentucky Corn Growers Association, expressed his support in the statement below:
“This agreement marks a significant step forward for Kentucky corn growers,” said Lancaster. “Expanding access to the UK market for American agricultural products, including ethanol, not only strengthens our trade relationships but also creates new demand for the corn we grow here in Kentucky. We appreciate the Trump administration’s efforts to open new doors for the agriculture industry.”
Kenneth Hartman Jr., President of the National Corn Growers Association, expressed nationwide agricultural support for the trade agreement in the statement below:
“This is great news,” said Hartman. “We applaud President Trump and his administration for brokering this deal, and we encourage them to continue to include corn, corn ethanol and corn co-products in future bilateral agreements with other countries.”
During the announcement, Trump officials indicated that tariffs on U.S. ethanol will be reduced to zero. According to the White House fact sheet, this covers $700 million worth of U.S. ethanol exports.
NCGA and KY Corn had previously asked the Trump administration for increased ethanol access in the United Kingdom. The country is currently the second largest destination for U.S. ethanol exports, taking in 244 million gallons, which is 12.7% of the total U.S. ethanol exports for 2024. Ethanol exports to the UK have steadily increased since 2021.