South Dakota farmers fear uncertain ethanol future

Ethanol came to the rescue of growers like Swayze, injecting a new value into crops, driving prices higher and boosting the state's economy. Much of the industry's expansion since the 1990s depended on federal policies, including new rules to ensure clean air, fuel economy and a marketplace for renewable fuels.But like many of his peers in corn and ethanol, the next four years leave Swayze with questions.A Donald Trump White House means a new, uncertain political landscape. Some of the Trump administration's leaders have deep ties to the oil industry. The seismic political transition raises questions and concerns for the benefactors of a multi-billion-dollar industry that also happens to drive South Dakota's economy. Ethanol was far from a major talking point for Trump on the campaign trail. Even after touring a Poet biorefining plant in Iowa, he uttered just a few sentences about renewable fuel and its impact on Midwestern jobs.