We prepared the following discussion and analysis to help readers better understand our financial condition, changes in our financial condition, and results of operations for the three and six months ended April 30, 2021 and 2020. This section should be read in conjunction with the condensed consolidated unaudited financial statements and related notes in PART I - Item 1 of this report and the information contained in the Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2020.

Disclosure Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

The SEC encourages companies to disclose forward-looking information so investors can better understand future prospects and make informed investment decisions. As such, we have historical information, as well as forward-looking statements regarding our business, financial condition, results of operations, performance, and prospects in this report. All statements that are not historical or current facts are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as "anticipates," "believes," "could," "estimates," "expects," "intends," "may," "plans," "potential," "predicts," "projects," "should," "will," "would," and similar expressions.

Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which may be beyond our control, and may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those projected in, expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. While it is impossible to identify all such factors, factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those estimated by us are described more particularly in the "Risk Factors" section of our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended October 31, 2020, and on Form 10-Q for the three months ended January 31, 2021, as supplemented by the risk factors disclosed in Item 1A of this report on Form 10-Q. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the following:

Fluctuations in the price of ethanol, which is affected by various factors ? including: the overall supply and demand for ethanol and corn; the price of

gasoline, crude oil and corn, government policies, the price and availability

of competing fuels;

? Fluctuations in the price of crude oil and gasoline and the impact of lower oil

and gasoline prices on ethanol prices and demand;

Fluctuations in the availability and price of corn, which is affected by

various factors including: domestic stocks, demand from corn-consuming ? industries, such as the ethanol industry, prices for alternative crops,

increasing input costs, changes in government policies, shifts in global

markets or damaging growing conditions, such as plant disease or adverse

weather, including drought;

Fluctuations in the availability and price of natural gas, which may be ? affected by factors such as weather, drilling economics, overall economic

conditions, and government regulations;

? Negative operating margins which may result from lower ethanol and/or high corn

prices;

? Changes in general economic conditions or the occurrence of certain events

causing an economic impact in the agriculture, oil, or automobile industries;

? Overcapacity and oversupply in the ethanol industry;

Ethanol may trade at a premium to gasoline at times, resulting in a ? disincentive for discretionary blending of ethanol beyond the requirements of

the Renewable Fuel Standard ("RFS") and consequently negatively impacting

ethanol prices and demand;

Changes in federal and/or state laws and environmental regulations including ? elimination, waiver, or reduction of the corn-based ethanol use requirement in

the RFS and legislative acts taken by state governments such as California

related to low-carbon fuels, may have an adverse effect on our business;

? Any impairment of the transportation, storage and blending infrastructure that

prevents ethanol from reaching markets;

? Any effect on prices and demand for our products resulting from actions in

international markets, particularly imposition of tariffs;

? Changes in our business strategy, capital improvements or development plans;

? Effect of our risk mitigation strategies and hedging activities on our

financial performance and cash flows;

? Competition from alternative fuels and alternative fuel additives;

? Changes or advances in plant production capacity or technical difficulties in

operating the plant;

? Our reliance on key management personnel;

A slowdown in global and regional economic activity, demand for our products ? and the potential for labor shortages and shipping disruptions resulting from


  COVID-19.


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Our CEO and General Manager retired effective May 26, 2021, and as a result our ? Company may face challenges that arise from a transition in leadership, which

may adversely affect our business; and

The election of President Joe Biden and the transition to a new presidential ? administration may result in new or different regulations and policies that may

adversely affect our business.

We believe our expectations regarding future events are based on reasonable assumptions; however, these assumptions may not be accurate or account for all risks and uncertainties. Consequently, forward-looking statements are not guaranteed. Actual results may vary materially from those expressed or implied in our forward-looking statements. In addition, we are not obligated and do not intend to update our forward-looking statements because of new information unless it is required by applicable securities laws. We caution investors not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which represent management's views as of the date of this report. We qualify all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements.





Industry and Market Data

Much of the information in this report regarding the ethanol industry, including government regulation relevant to the industry is from information published by the Renewable Fuels Association ("RFA"), a national trade association for the United States ("U.S.") ethanol industry, and information about the market for our products and competition is derived from publicly available information from governmental agencies or publications and other published independent sources.

Although we believe our third-party sources are reliable, we have not independently verified the information.





Available Information

Our website address is www.heronlakebioenergy.com. Our annual report on Form 10-K, periodic reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, are available, free of charge, on our website under the link "SEC Filings," as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such materials with, or furnish such materials to, the Securities and Exchange Commission. The contents of our website are not incorporated by reference in this report on Form 10-Q.





Overview

Heron Lake BioEnergy, LLC is a Minnesota limited liability company that owns and operates a dry mill corn-based, natural gas fired ethanol plant near Heron Lake, Minnesota. Our business consists of the production and sale of our ethanol throughout the continental U.S. and sale of its co-products (wet, modified wet and dried distillers' grains, corn oil, and corn syrup) locally, and throughout the continental U.S. Additionally, through a wholly owned subsidiary, HLBE Pipeline Company, LLC ("HLBE Pipeline Company"), we are the sole owner of Agrinatural Gas, LLC ("Agrinatural"). Agrinatural operates a natural gas pipeline that provides natural gas to Heron Lake BioEnergy, LLC's ethanol production facility and other customers. When we use the terms "Heron Lake BioEnergy," "Heron Lake," or "HLBE" or similar words, unless the context otherwise requires, we are referring to Heron Lake BioEnergy, LLC and our operations at our ethanol production facility located near Heron Lake, Minnesota. When we use the terms the "Company," "we," "us," "our" or similar words, unless the context otherwise requires, we are referring to Heron Lake BioEnergy and its wholly owned subsidiary, HLBE Pipeline Company, LLC, and its wholly owned subsidiary Agrinatural.

We have a management services agreement with Granite Falls Energy, LLC, a Minnesota limited liability company that operates an ethanol plant located in Granite Falls, Minnesota ("GFE"). GFE owns approximately 50.7% of our outstanding membership units. Pursuant to the management services agreement, GFE provides its chief executive officer, chief financial officer, and commodity risk manager to act in those positions as our part-time officers (the "Management Services Agreement").





Ethanol Production

Our primary line of business is the Company's operation of its ethanol plant, including the production and sale of ethanol and its co-products (distillers' grains, non-edible corn oil and corn syrup). These operations are aggregated into one financial reporting segment.

Our ethanol plant has a nameplate capacity of 50 million gallons per year. We have received EPA pathway approval and have obtained permits from the Minnesota Pollution Control Authority to increase our production capacity



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to approximately 72.3 million gallons of undenatured fuel-grade ethanol on a twelve-month rolling sum basis. We are currently operating above our stated nameplate capacity on an annualized basis and intend to continue to do so into the future, dependent on industry conditions and plant profitability. In response to repeated malfunctions with our boiler, we installed a new boiler at our plant in January 2021 at a cost of approximately $5.3 million, which has improved the efficiency and profitability of ethanol production at the plant.

We market and sell our products primarily using third-party marketers. The markets in which our products are sold may be local, regional, national, and international and depend primarily upon the efforts of third party marketers.

We have contracted with Eco-Energy, LLC to market all of our ethanol, Gavilon Ingredients, LLC to market our distillers' grains, and RPMG, Inc. to market our corn oil. We also occasionally independently market and sell excess corn syrup from the distillation process to local livestock feeders.

Our cost of our goods sold consists primarily of costs relating to the corn and natural gas supplies necessary to produce ethanol and distillers' grains for sale at our ethanol plant. We generally do not have long-term, fixed price contracts for the purchase of corn. Typically, we purchase our corn directly from grain elevators, farmers, and local dealers within approximately 80 miles of Heron Lake, Minnesota.

Plan of Operations for the Next Twelve Months

Over the next twelve months we will continue our focus on operational improvements at our plant. These operational improvements include exploring methods to improve ethanol yield per bushel and increasing production output at our plant, continued emphasis on safety and environmental regulation, reducing our operating costs, and optimizing our margin opportunities through prudent risk-management policies. In addition, we expect to continue to conduct routine maintenance and repair activities at the ethanol plant to maintain current plant infrastructure.

While the Company believes the replacement of the boiler has improved the operating performance of the plant, and led to lower operating costs, market conditions have resulted in tight margins and may resulted in future losses.

Proposed Merger with Granite Falls Energy, LLC

During the three months ended April 30, 2021, the Company developed plans to engage in a merger with GFE, its majority owner. Specifically, on March 24, 2021, the Company and GFE, executed a Merger Agreement (the "Merger Agreement"), pursuant to which GFE will acquire the minority interest of HLBE (the "Merger"). The structure of the proposed transaction is a merger in which Granite Heron Merger Sub, LLC, ("Merger Sub") a wholly owned subsidiary of GFE, will merge with and into the Company, with the Company surviving the transaction as a wholly owned subsidiary of GFE.

GFE currently owns approximately 50.7% of the Company's units. Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, GFE will acquire the remainder of the units (the "Minority Ownership Interest"). The purchase price for the entire Minority Ownership Interest is $14,000,000 in cash payable at the closing of the Merger. Each issued and outstanding unit of the Minority Ownership Interest will be canceled and converted into the right to receive $0.36405 per Unit. (the "Merger Consideration"). Upon the completion of the merger, Minority Ownership Interest unitholders will no longer own any units of the Company and will no longer have any rights as a member or owner of the Company.

The units of Company held by GFE immediately prior closing of Merger shall be cancelled with no consideration issued to GFE. GFE will emerge from the transaction as the sole owner of the Company. At the time the Merger becomes effective, 100 percent of the membership interest in the Merger Sub shall be converted into and become 100 percent of the membership interests in the Company, as the surviving company in the Merger.

The Merger is subject to approval by the Minority Ownership Interest. We intend to convene a special meeting of the members of the Company to vote on the proposed Merger (the "Special Meeting") in the summer of 2021. The Merger is also conditioned on regulatory approval, the consent the Company's lender, and GFE's ability to obtain financing for the transaction. If such approvals and consents are obtained, the Merger is expected to close following the Special Meeting.

Upon closing of the Merger, the Company intends to file a Certification and Notice of Termination of Registration with the SEC, which will allow the Company to operate without being registered with the SEC. Upon termination of the



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Company's SEC registration, the Company will no longer be required to file quarterly and annual reports with the SEC. GFE, which will become the Company's sole owner upon closing of the Merger, will continue to be registered with the SEC and will continue to file required SEC reports after completion of the Merger.

A complete description of the Merger and the Merger Agreement is available in the Company's preliminary proxy statement filed with the SEC on May 21, 2021, and is hereby incorporated by reference. Copies of the Merger Agreement, a Plan of Merger and associated voting agreements were published with our Form 8-K filed with SEC on March 25, 2021 and are herein incorporated by reference.

Effect if the Merger is Not Completed

If the Merger is not completed, the Company's unitholders will not receive the Merger Consideration or any other payment for their units of the Company. Instead, Company will remain a majority-owned subsidiary of GFE.

Further, the Company has experienced significant net losses due to several factors, including elevated corn prices, the breakdown of our ethanol plant's boiler, and reduced demand for ethanol due to several factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to these net losses, the Company has violated certain loan covenants during the past fiscal year related to working capital and net worth ratio, for which the Company has obtained waivers from its lender. The Company was in compliance with its debt covenants on April 30, 2021. However, future violations of these loan covenants would allow the Company's lender to accelerate certain loans and designate a substantial portion of the Company's debt due and payable. If the Company's loans became due and payable, there is a substantial risk the Company would lack the cash on hand, borrowing capacity, and cash flows to repay the debt, and if this were to occur, the Company could be forced to cease operations or seek bankruptcy protection.

While the Company believes the replacement of the boiler has improved the operating performance of the plant, and led to lower operating costs, market conditions have resulted in losses. If the Merger is not completed, the Company intends to source other capital sources, which may include re-negotiating their debt agreements and terms or seek potential equity solutions. At this time, there are no commitments to do so and we may not be successful in doing so.

Appointment of Jeffrey Oestmann as CEO

GFE appointed Jeffrey Oestmann as Chief Executive Officer ("CEO") effective May 26, 2021, pursuant to a letter of employment (the "Employment Agreement") dated May 20, 2021. Pursuant to the Management Services Agreement, GFE's executive officers also serve as executive officers of the Company. Thus, Oestmann began serving as CEO of the Company effective May 26, 2021. Oestmann replaces Steve Christensen, who had served as CEO of the Company and GFE since 2012, and who resigned as CEO effective May 26, 2021, pursuant to a separation agreement between Christensen and GFE (the "Separation Agreement"). The Employment Agreement is available on the Company's Form 8-K filed with the SEC May 25, 2021, and is hereby incorporated by reference. The Management Services Agreement and Separation Agreement are available on the Company's Form 8-K filed with the SEC February 22, 2021, and are hereby incorporated by reference.

Trends and Uncertainties Impacting Our Operations

The principal factors affecting our results of operations and financial conditions are the market prices for corn, ethanol, distillers' grains, and natural gas. As a result, our operating results can fluctuate substantially due to volatility in these commodity markets. Governmental programs designed to create incentives for the use of corn-based ethanol also have a significant impact on market prices for ethanol. Other factors that may affect our future results of operation include those risks discussed below and in "PART II - Item 1A. Risk Factors" of this report, "PART II - Item 1A. Risk Factors" of our quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended January 31, 2021, and "PART I - Item 1A. Risk Factors" of our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2020.

The price and availability of corn is subject to significant fluctuations depending upon a number of factors that affect commodity prices in general, including crop conditions, yields, domestic and global stocks, weather, federal policy, and foreign trade. Natural gas prices are influenced by severe weather in the summer and winter and hurricanes in the spring, summer, and fall. Other factors include North American exploration and production, and the amount of natural gas in underground storage during injection and withdrawal seasons.

Ethanol prices are sensitive to world crude oil supply and demand, domestic gasoline supply and demand, the price of crude oil, gasoline and corn, the price of substitute fuels



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and octane enhancers, refining capacity and utilization, government regulation and incentives and consumer demand for alternative fuels. Distillers' grains prices are impacted by livestock numbers on feed, prices for feed alternatives and supply, which is associated with ethanol plant production.

Because the market price of ethanol is not always directly related to corn, at times ethanol prices may lag price movements in corn prices and corn-ethanol price spread may be tightly compressed or negative, which can cause our operating margins to decline or become negative and our ethanol plant may not generate adequate cash flow for operations. In such cases, we may reduce or cease production at our ethanol plant to minimize our variable costs and optimize cash flow.

Management believes that the ethanol outlook in the fiscal year 2021 will remain relatively consistent with this quarter. The widespread distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and the subsequent reopening of many business have improved the overall economic outlook and the demand for fuel, including the ethanol we produce. However, lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors could continue to negatively affect our profitability. Additionally, continued large corn supplies and increases in ethanol production capacity could negatively affect our profitability. This negative impact could worsen if domestic ethanol inventories increase, or if U.S. exports of ethanol decline.

Ethanol production largely rebounded and remained steady in late 2020 after briefly and significantly declining during the second fiscal quarter of 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the three months ended April 30, 2021, ethanol production briefly and significantly declined again due to the severe weather incidents. Unusually cold weather affecting much of the United States in February 2021 disrupted the supply of natural gas and as a result natural gas spot prices approached record-high levels. Many ethanol production facilities, including our plant, rely on natural gas to process corn into ethanol. As a result, in February 2021 many fuel ethanol producers reduced production rates and estimated fuel ethanol margins fell to negative levels. U.S. weekly fuel ethanol production fell to an average of 658,000 barrels per day (b/d) during the week of February 21, 2021, which was the lowest weekly production level since May 11, 2020, and 38% lower than at the same time last year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration ("EIA"). Production rates have since returned to average levels, but fuel ethanol inventories remain lower than their typical seasonal averages heading into the summer driving season. While the reduction in ethanol inventory may result in higher prices for ethanol and higher operating margins for the Company, management expects ethanol production and inventories to rebound industrywide and margins for our Company to remain tight.

Additionally, a decrease in exports could reduce demand for biofuel including the ethanol we produce. Annual U.S. fuel ethanol exports decreased by 9% in 2020, marking the second consecutive annual drop in U.S. fuel ethanol experts and the lowest level for such exports since 2015, according to the EIA. Exports of U.S. fuel ethanol to Brazil, the world's second largest consumer of fuel ethanol, decreased significantly in 2020. All U.S. fuel ethanol exports to Brazil now face a 20% Brazilian tariff since a tariff-free fuel ethanol quote expired in December 2020. The new tariff will likely lower U.S. fuel ethanol export volumes to Brazil in the near term, according to the EIA. As a result, demand for biofuel, including our ethanol, could decrease.

Further, management believes that waivers of small refiner renewable volume obligations ("RVOs") by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA"), as well as uncertainty regarding enforcement of the RFS , could contribute to negative or low margins.

Changes in the price for crude oil and unleaded gasoline could have a negative impact on the demand for gasoline and impact the market price of ethanol, which could adversely impact our profitability. According to the EIA May 2021 Short Term Energy Outlook, EIA estimates that U.S. gasoline consumption will average 9.0 million barrels per day this summer (April through September), up from 7.8 million barrels per day during the summer of 2021 but down from 0.6 million barrels per day from summer 2019. In addition, EIA forecasts relatively stable prices for crude oil, projecting Brent crude oil prices to average $65 per barrel in the second quarter of 2021, $61 per barrel for the remainder of the year, and $61 per barrel in 2022. Decreases in the price for crude oil generally have a negative impact on the demand for ethanol.

Continued ethanol production capacity increases could also have a negative impact on the market price of ethanol, which could be further exacerbated if domestic ethanol inventories remain high or grow, or if U.S. exports of ethanol decline. Throughout 2019 and 2020, some U.S. ethanol plants temporarily suspended production due to negative margins, largely resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, and stagnant export projections caused by trade barriers and decreased global demand in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic.





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Given the inherent volatility in ethanol, distillers' grains, non-food grade corn oil, grain and natural gas prices, we cannot predict the likelihood that the spread between ethanol, distillers' grains, non-food grade corn oil, and grain prices in future periods will be consistent compared to historical periods.

Impact of COVID-19 on the Company





Operations

The Company, and the ethanol industry as a whole, experienced significant adverse conditions throughout 2020, and into 2021 as the COVID-19 pandemic greatly reduced travel and thus reduced demand for fuel, including the ethanol we produce. Reduced demand and high industry inventory levels resulted in record low ethanol prices in the spring of 2020. As a result, we experienced negative operating margins, significantly lower cash flow from operations and substantial net losses. In response to these adverse market conditions, the Company idled its ethanol production from on or about March 30, 2020 through approximately May 31, 2020. Fuel prices generally, and ethanol prices specifically, have rebounded since the spring of 2020 and remained steady during the three months ended April 30, 2021, and management believes there is potential for fuel demand to increase as COVID-19-related restrictions are lifted and travel increases. However, it is possible that unforeseen consequences of the pandemic or other factors will cause fuel demand and ethanol prices to remain flat or decrease, thus negatively affecting our business. The Company continues to monitor COVID-19 developments to determine if adjustments to production are warranted.





Employees

The Company has enacted appropriate safety measures to protect the health and safety of our employees, customers, partners and suppliers, and we may take further actions as government authorities require or recommend or as we determine to be in the best interests of our employees, customers, partners and suppliers.

Management believes that various factors, including unemployment benefits offered in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, have exacerbated an ongoing labor shortage. While we currently have sufficient employees to operate our production facility, it is possible that the current shortage of qualified, available workers could result in higher labor costs and could negatively affect our ability to efficiently operate our production facility.





Supply and Demand

Although we continue to regularly monitor the financial health of companies in our supply chain, financial hardship on our suppliers caused by the COVID-19 pandemic could cause a disruption in our ability to obtain raw materials or components required to produce our products, adversely affecting our operations. Various factors, including disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, have resulted in significant increases in the costs of raw materials, including the corn and natural gas we rely on to produce ethanol. Additionally, restrictions or disruptions of transportation, such as reduced availability of truck, rail or air transport, port closures and increased border controls or closures, may result in higher costs and delays, both with respect to obtaining raw materials and shipping finished products to customers, which could harm our profitability, make our products less competitive, or cause our customers to seek alternative suppliers. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly increased economic and demand uncertainty. The pandemic has caused a global economic slowdown, and it is possible that it could cause a global recession. In the event of a recession, demand for our products would decline further and our business would be further adversely affected.





PPP Loans

On April 18, 2020, the Company received $595,693 under the Paycheck Protection Program legislation passed in response to the economic downturn triggered by COVID-19. This note was forgiven in full in March 2021. The Company received a second Paycheck Protection Program loan in February 2021 in the amount of $595,693. Management expects the entire loan will be used for payroll, utilities and interest; therefore, management anticipates that the loan will be substantially forgiven. To the extent it is not forgiven, the Company would be required to repay that portion at an interest rate of 1% with principal repayment installments beginning in March 2022 with a final installment in February 2026.





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Outlook

The adverse conditions created by the COVID-19 pandemic caused the Company to experience negative operating margins, significantly lower cash flow from operations and substantial net losses. As a result, we have experienced instances of noncompliance with certain loan covenants related to our working capital and net worth ratio, for which the Company has received waivers from its lender. We were in compliance with our financial covenants as of April 30, 2021. However, failure to comply with the protective loan covenants or maintain the required financial ratios in the future may cause acceleration of the outstanding principal balances on the revolving term loan and/or the imposition of fees, charges, or penalties.

While the lifting of restrictions related to COVID-19 has improved the overall economic outlook, the pandemic is ongoing, and its dynamic nature makes it difficult to forecast the long-term effects on our industry as a whole and our Company specifically. It is possible that even as the pandemic subsides, there will be permanent changes to social and economic patterns that will reduce demand for ethanol, such as reduced travel due to an increase in remote working.

Despite the economic uncertainty resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, we intend to continue to focus on strategic initiatives designed to improve on our operational efficiencies, which is critical in order to drive positive results in a low-margin environment.

We continue to monitor the rapidly evolving situation and guidance from international and domestic authorities, including federal, state and local public health authorities and may take additional actions based on their recommendations. In these circumstances, there may be developments outside our control requiring us to adjust our operating plan. As such, given the dynamic nature of this situation, we cannot reasonably estimate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows in the future.

Government Supports and Regulation





The Renewable Fuels Standard

The ethanol industry is dependent on several economic incentives to produce ethanol, the most significant of which is the federal RFS. The RFS has been, and we expect will continue to be, a significant factor impacting ethanol usage.

Any adverse ruling on, or legislation affecting, the RFS could have an adverse impact on ethanol prices and our financial performance in the future.

However, President Joe Biden's administration, which took office in January 2021, has indicated support for RFS blending rules and energy policies that could be beneficial to the ethanol industry and our business. Specifically, the EPA under the Biden administration has announced it supports the interpretation of the RFS's small-refinery provisions made by U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit in a 2020 decision. In the case, Renewable Fuels Association et al. v. EPA, various agriculture and biofuel groups challenged the EPA's grant of waivers to three specific refineries. The waived gallons were not redistributed to obligated parties, and thus reduced the aggregate RVOs under the RFS. In January 2020, the court struck down the exemptions as improperly issued by the EPA. The court interpreted the RFS statute to require that any exemption granted to a small refinery after 2010 must take the form of an "extension." In February 2021, the EPA announced it supported the 10th Circuit's interpretation of the RFS, reversing the position the EPA took under the previous administration. Nonetheless, it is uncertain whether the 10th Circuit's interpretation will be upheld or whether the Biden administration will continue to support energy policies that benefit the ethanol industry and our business. The case was appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which heard arguments in the case in April 2021. The Supreme Court's decision in the case is expected in the summer of 2021.

Additional legal actions related to the RFS are underway. These include lawsuits challenging fuel volume waivers based on "inadequate domestic supply," challenging the EPA's lower threshold for granting small refinery exemptions, seeking broader, forward-looking remedy to account for the collective lost volumes caused by recent small refinery exemptions, alleging that the EPA and U.S. Department of Energy have improperly denied access to public records request by RFA, and challenging the Final 2019 Rule over the EPA's failure to address small refinery exemptions in the rulemaking. If these legal actions, which generally seek to require the EPA to enforce the renewable fuel blending requirements of the RFS, are unsuccessful, there may negative impacts on the ethanol industry and our financial performance.





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The prices of renewable identification number ("RIN") credits - the compliance mechanisms for the RFS program administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") - increased during the three months ended April 30, 2021, briefly approaching their highest nominal levels in the history of the program. The corn ethanol (D6) RIN price reached more than $1.00 per gallon (gal) in late January and early February 2021, the highest price since 2013, when the D6 RIN price reached an all-time high. The price of RIN credits reflects compliance and trading activity related to the RFS and can either be used to comply with the RFS or traded in the secondary market to buyers seeking to comply with the RFS. Increases in RIN prices can encourage increased biofuel consumption, according to the EIA.





COVID-19 Legislation

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (the "CARES Act") in March 2020 in an attempt to offset some of the economic damage arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act created and funded multiple programs that have impacted or could impact our industry. The USDA was given additional resources for the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), which it is using to provide direct payments to farmers, including corn farmers from whom we purchase most of our feedstock for ethanol production. Similar to the trade aid payments made by the USDA over the past two years, this cash injection for farmers could cause them to delay marketing decisions and increase the price we have to pay to purchase the corn.

The CARES Act also provided for the Small Business Administration to assist companies that constitute small business and keep them from laying off workers. The Paycheck Protection Program (the "PPP") was created and quickly paid out all of the funds appropriated, including some to farmers and to ethanol plants. Although we received our first PPP Loan under the CARES Act, as discussed above, the receipt of PPP funds by farmers could, like the CCC funds, incentivize them to delay marketing corn which could increase the price of corn.

On December 27, 2020, the federal government enacted Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, a second COVID-19 relief package. Among other things, the legislation authorized additional PPP loans. In February 2021, the Company received a second Paycheck Protection Program loan in the amount of $595,693. Management expects the entire loan will be used for payroll, utilities and interest; therefore, management anticipates that the loan will be substantially forgiven.

On March 11, 2021, the federal government enacted the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, which provided $1.9 trillion in economic stimulus through various programs intended to accelerate the nation's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The American Rescue Plan primarily provided additional funding for programs created in previous COVID-19 legislation, such as increased unemployment benefits, direct payments to households, expanded paid sick leave, increased food stamp benefits, rental assistance, and small business grants. Management believes the legislation could contribute to inflation, including increases in the costs of labor and the raw materials we require to produce ethanol, and thus could negatively affect our operating margins.

Results of Operations for the Three Months Ended April 30, 2021 and 2020

The following table shows summary information from the results of our operations and the approximate percentage of revenues, costs of goods sold, operating expenses and other items to total revenues in our unaudited



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condensed consolidated statements of operations for the three months ended April 30, 2021 and 2020 (amounts in thousands).

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