Today kicked off the 30-day comment period to the EPA on the waiver request of the Renewable Fuels Standard. But the National Corn Growers Association is already asking for more time. NCGA President Garry Niemeyer sent a letter to the EPA requesting an additional 30 days of comments, citing harvest and the uncertainty of this year’s corn crop:

“Across the nation our members are beginning harvest, one of the busiest times of the year,” Niemeyer wrote. “Given the demands of harvest, I am concerned that the proposed 30-day comment period will not provide sufficient time for a thorough analysis of the proposed waiver and would hinder farmer participation in this important policy process. Also, with the crop still in the field, it is too early to determine this year’s final corn supply.”

Without the additional requested time, comments are set to close at the end of September. Then, the EPA must make its decision within 60 days after comments close. In 2008, when Texas Gov. Rick Perry made a request for a partial waiver of the RFS, the EPA received 15,000 comments from throughout the country.