According to the Renewable Fuels Association, 20 of the U.S.’s 211 ethanol plants have been forced to halt production in the past year because of a lack of corn – five in January alone. Most plants remain open with skeleton crews performing maintenance, but ethanol production won’t likely resume until after the 2013 corn harvest in late August or September. Experts are not concerned about an ethanol shortage as there are millions of barrels stockpiled in the remaining 191 plants, however, this could change if the drought continues through another growing season.