(Radio Iowa) — Former Iowa Ag Secretary Bill Northey — now a top administrator in the U-S Department of Agriculture — says farmers “need more assurances” about ethanol, but Northey says he’s unaware of what’s in the “giant package” President Trump is promising farmers. “I know there have been meetings and I know some of the things they have talked about, but I don’t know what’s going to be part of it and certainly we’re all on the edge of seat to be able to look at what it is,” Northey says. “I don’t even know the timing necessarily.”

Trump Thursday, tweeted the ethanol waivers he okayed, saved small oil refineries “from certain closing,” and Trump told farmers to “get ready” for a pro-ethanol move that will make them happy. Northey spoke Thursday at a forum with Iowa Congresswoman Cindy Axne, a Democrat from Des Moines. Axne says the waivers are “unacceptable.” “I think farmers’ patience is wearing thin,” Axne says.

Axne is pressing for the inspector general in the E-P-A to investigate the ethanol waivers. “The president can tweet out whatever he wants to tweet out about his next big thing,” Axne says. “…I am sick and tired of seeing hard-working farmers in Iowa being used as pawns in this administration whether it’s trade negotiation or whether it’s fulfilling the desires of rich shareholders of fossil fuel companies.” Northey says farmers were excited about the prospects of year-round E-15 sales, but that positive Trump Administration move “got lost” when the ethanol waivers were granted, plus farmers are facing weather and market challenges. “There’s as much nervousness around the economics of agriculture as I’ve seen in quite a while,” Northey told reporters.

On Wednesday, Northey attended a forum in La Porte City with Iowa Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer, a Democrat from Dubuque. Finkenauer also criticized Trump, saying this is a scary time for agriculture.