Trump open to biofuel policy reform, senators say after meetingWASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump is open to reforming the country’s biofuels policy if it can be done in a way that protects jobs in both the refining and agriculture industries, senators said on Thursday after a meeting with Trump on the issue. Nine lawmakers had requested the meeting to argue that the Renewable Fuel Standard, or RFS, a law requiring refiners to blend increasing amounts of biofuels like corn-based ethanol into the fuel supply every year, was threatening to put refineries in their districts out of business. The Trump administration had ruled in favor of Big Corn and against the refining industry in a series of decisions this year, with senators on both sides using parliamentary procedures like holds on administrative appointments to punish rivals. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, who led the lawmaker delegation, said Trump was open to a “win-win” solution. “The group as a whole agreed with the president to reconvene next week and to expand the group and work together to find a (solution) that is a win for blue-collar workers, a win for jobs, but also a win for farmers at the same time,” he told Fox News after the meeting. Republican Senators Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and James Lankford of Oklahoma also said Trump expressed a desire to help refiners in a way that protected the interests of farmers, but that more discussions were needed. “It was just a recognition that this is a more complicated problem and we’re going to have to get everybody together from all sides,” Lankford told reporters. The White House said the meeting was productive and that Trump remained committed to the RFS, farmers and energy workers. “He understands there are differing views on this issue, and the Administration looks forward to working with all the stakeholders toward a mutually agreeable path forward,” White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said in a statement. The RFS was introduced more than a decade ago by President George W. Bush as a way to boost U.S. agriculture, slash energy imports and cut emissions, and has since fostered a market for ethanol amounting to 15 billion gallons a year. Refiners oppose the RFS because they say it costs them hundreds of millions of dollars a year in blending and regulatory expenses while propping up demand for rival fuels. Refiners that do not have the facilities to blend biofuels must purchase credits, called RINs, from those that do and hand them into the EPA once a year. A refining lobbyist briefed on Thursday’s meeting said one possible solution discussed was capping the RINs - an idea that is opposed by the Renewable Fuels Association, the largest biofuel trade group. The refining industry has requested tweaks to the policy in the past that would cut the annual volume targets for biofuels, allow ethanol exports to be counted against those targets, or shift the blending burden to supply terminals.  While the leadership of the EPA, which administers the RFS, had considered some of the changes, it ultimately rejected them under pressure from Midwestern lawmakers, and slightly increased biofuels volumes targets for 2018.   The meeting with Trump could set the stage for negotiations over legislation, but any measure would likely require cooperation from representatives of the corn belt. Republican Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa said this week he was not invited to the meeting and called it “a waste of time.” Biofuels industry representatives did not attend the meeting. Cruz has said he would block Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey’s nomination to a key post at the U.S. Department of Agriculture until he gets a meeting about biofuels that includes all sides on the issue.  politicsNews
trump open biofuel policy reform senators say meetingwashington reuters president donald trump open reforming country biofuels policy done way protects jobs refining agriculture industries senators said thursday meeting trump issue nine lawmakers requested meeting argue renewable fuel standard rfs law requiring refinery blend increasing amounts biofuels like ethanol fuel supply every year threatening put refineries districts business the trump administration ruled favor big corn refining industry series decisions year senators sides using parliamentary procedures like holds administrative appointments punish rivals senator ted cruz texas led lawmaker delegation said trump open solution the group whole agreed president convene next week expand group work together find solution win workers win jobs also win farmers time told fox news meeting republican senators bill cassidy louisiana james landlord oklahoma also said trump expressed desire help refinery way protected interests farmers discussions needed it recognition complicated problem going get everybody together sides landlord told reporters the white house said meeting productive trump remained committed rfs farmers energy workers he understands differing views issue administration looks forward working stakeholders toward mutually agreeable path forward white house spokesman hogan ridley said statement the rfs introduced decade ago president george bush way boost agriculture slash energy imports cut emissions since fostered market ethanol amounting billion gallons year refinery oppose rfs say costs hundreds millions dollars year blending regulatory expenses dropping demand rival fuels refinery facilities blend biofuels must purchase credits called runs hand epa year a refining lobbyist briefed thursday meeting said one possible solution discussed capping runs idea opposed renewable fuels association largest biofuel trade group the refining industry requested tweaks policy past would cut annual volume targets biofuels allow ethanol exports counted targets shift blending burden supply terminals while leadership epa administers rfs considered changes ultimately rejected pressure midwestern lawmakers slightly increased biofuels volumes targets the meeting trump could set stage negotiations legislation measure would likely require cooperation representatives corn belt republican senator chuck grasses iowa said week invited meeting called waste biofuels industry representatives attend meeting cruz said would block iowa agriculture secretary bill north nomination key post department agriculture gets meeting biofuels includes sides issue politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Trump open to biofuel policy reform, senators say after meetingWASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump is open to reforming the country’s biofuels policy if it can be done in a way that protects jobs in both the refining and agriculture industries, senators said on Thursday after a meeting with Trump on the issue. Nine lawmakers had requested the meeting to argue that the Renewable Fuel Standard, or RFS, a law requiring refiners to blend increasing amounts of biofuels like corn-based ethanol into the fuel supply every year, was threatening to put refineries in their districts out of business. The Trump administration had ruled in favor of Big Corn and against the refining industry in a series of decisions this year, with senators on both sides using parliamentary procedures like holds on administrative appointments to punish rivals. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, who led the lawmaker delegation, said Trump was open to a “win-win” solution. “The group as a whole agreed with the president to reconvene next week and to expand the group and work together to find a (solution) that is a win for blue-collar workers, a win for jobs, but also a win for farmers at the same time,” he told Fox News after the meeting. Republican Senators Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and James Lankford of Oklahoma also said Trump expressed a desire to help refiners in a way that protected the interests of farmers, but that more discussions were needed. “It was just a recognition that this is a more complicated problem and we’re going to have to get everybody together from all sides,” Lankford told reporters. The White House said the meeting was productive and that Trump remained committed to the RFS, farmers and energy workers. “He understands there are differing views on this issue, and the Administration looks forward to working with all the stakeholders toward a mutually agreeable path forward,” White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said in a statement. The RFS was introduced more than a decade ago by President George W. Bush as a way to boost U.S. agriculture, slash energy imports and cut emissions, and has since fostered a market for ethanol amounting to 15 billion gallons a year. Refiners oppose the RFS because they say it costs them hundreds of millions of dollars a year in blending and regulatory expenses while propping up demand for rival fuels. Refiners that do not have the facilities to blend biofuels must purchase credits, called RINs, from those that do and hand them into the EPA once a year. A refining lobbyist briefed on Thursday’s meeting said one possible solution discussed was capping the RINs - an idea that is opposed by the Renewable Fuels Association, the largest biofuel trade group. The refining industry has requested tweaks to the policy in the past that would cut the annual volume targets for biofuels, allow ethanol exports to be counted against those targets, or shift the blending burden to supply terminals.  While the leadership of the EPA, which administers the RFS, had considered some of the changes, it ultimately rejected them under pressure from Midwestern lawmakers, and slightly increased biofuels volumes targets for 2018.   The meeting with Trump could set the stage for negotiations over legislation, but any measure would likely require cooperation from representatives of the corn belt. Republican Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa said this week he was not invited to the meeting and called it “a waste of time.” Biofuels industry representatives did not attend the meeting. Cruz has said he would block Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey’s nomination to a key post at the U.S. Department of Agriculture until he gets a meeting about biofuels that includes all sides on the issue.  politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: trump open biofuel policy reform senators say meetingwashington reuters president donald trump open reforming country biofuels policy done way protects jobs refining agriculture industries senators said thursday meeting trump issue nine lawmakers requested meeting argue renewable fuel standard rfs law requiring refinery blend increasing amounts biofuels like ethanol fuel supply every year threatening put refineries districts business the trump administration ruled favor big corn refining industry series decisions year senators sides using parliamentary procedures like holds administrative appointments punish rivals senator ted cruz texas led lawmaker delegation said trump open solution the group whole agreed president convene next week expand group work together find solution win workers win jobs also win farmers time told fox news meeting republican senators bill cassidy louisiana james landlord oklahoma also said trump expressed desire help refinery way protected interests farmers discussions needed it recognition complicated problem going get everybody together sides landlord told reporters the white house said meeting productive trump remained committed rfs farmers energy workers he understands differing views issue administration looks forward working stakeholders toward mutually agreeable path forward white house spokesman hogan ridley said statement the rfs introduced decade ago president george bush way boost agriculture slash energy imports cut emissions since fostered market ethanol amounting billion gallons year refinery oppose rfs say costs hundreds millions dollars year blending regulatory expenses dropping demand rival fuels refinery facilities blend biofuels must purchase credits called runs hand epa year a refining lobbyist briefed thursday meeting said one possible solution discussed capping runs idea opposed renewable fuels association largest biofuel trade group the refining industry requested tweaks policy past would cut annual volume targets biofuels allow ethanol exports counted targets shift blending burden supply terminals while leadership epa administers rfs considered changes ultimately rejected pressure midwestern lawmakers slightly increased biofuels volumes targets the meeting trump could set stage negotiations legislation measure would likely require cooperation representatives corn belt republican senator chuck grasses iowa said week invited meeting called waste biofuels industry representatives attend meeting cruz said would block iowa agriculture secretary bill north nomination key post department agriculture gets meeting biofuels includes sides issue politicsnews