The eyes of the poultry industry are on the federal government as it appears poised to decide whether to stop diverting more than 40 percent of U.S.-grown corn to fuel through 2013.The move would come in the wake of a drought that has ravaged corn-producing Midwestern states.“Thousands of jobs are at stake, livelihoods are at stake, higher food prices are at stake,” said Tom Super, spokesman for the Washington, D.C.-based National Chicken Council. “It is past time the federal government stops mandating that our food and feed be burned as fuel.”The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced on Aug. 20 that it had “issued a request for comment on letters seeking the waiver of the volume requirements of the Renewable Fuel Standard,” which requires a blend of ethanol and gasoline.A 30-day commenting period on the issue could start as early as Thursday, when an official notice is published in the Federal Register, said Mike Giles, president of the Gainesville-based Georgia Poultry Federation.“We’re pleased that the EPA is considering the (waiver) request, as they are really obligated to,” he said. “But we’re hopeful that they’ll act on it quickly.