This week, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved additional emergency shipments of propane from Texas to Illinois to help Midwestern farmers struggling to dry harvested grain in Northern Illinois.

This action to help farmers is the direct result of a letter from a bipartisan group of House and Senate members, asking for relief for farmers in their state.  Illinois’s congressional delegation showed up for Illinois farmers in a big way in this ask, with the following Congressmen signing on:

Congressman Mike Bost

Congresswoman Cheri Bustos

Congressman Rodney Davis

Congressman Adam Kinzinger

Congressman Darin LaHood

Congressman John Shimkus

Congresswoman Lauren Underwood

The letter says, “Farmers are calling our offices looking for answers about what can be done.  Those who are lucky enough to have crops to harvest this year are now struggling with drying a wet corn crop.  Wet corn put in storage can start to spoil in as little as 3 days.  There are also reports that grain elevators are having to stop the delivery of corn from farmers and storing corn on the ground because they are running short of propane as well.”

Emergency propane shipments will continue for a period of 30 days.