For Immediate Release:                  

Contact:Derek Eadon

January 22, 2015                                               

Branstad Announces Major Bipartisan Iowa Caucus Campaign
for Renewable Fuel Standard

Multi-million dollar effort will ask caucusgoers and presidential candidates to commit to the commonsense, bipartisan Renewable Fuel Standard

Iowa Governor Terry Branstad today announced a major new campaign to promote the commonsense, bipartisan Renewable Fuel Standard in the 2016 Iowa Presidential Caucuses – a multimillion dollar effort that will target candidates and caucusgoers alike.  America’s Renewable Future will be co-chaired by former State Representative Annette Sweeney (R) and former Lieutenant Governor Patty Judge (D) and Iowa renewable fuels industry leader Bill Couser.

“Americans of both political parties know that a robust RFS creates jobs in America, reduces our dependency on foreign oil and offers more consumer choice,” said Governor Branstad.  “The last time there was a wide open race for the presidential nomination in both parties was 2007, just as the RFS was beginning to take effect.  Since then, Iowa has built 17 new bio-refineries, doubled ethanol production, tripled biodiesel production, and launched commercial scale production of cellulosic ethanol with three brand new facilities.  It’s a broad based industry that benefits workers, families and communities in all 99 counties.”

America’s Renewable Future is a bipartisan coalition of companies, organizations and individuals committed to the Renewable Fuel Standard.  From now until the Iowa Caucuses, the organization will wage a mulitimillion dollar, multi-platform effort to do two things:

  1. Educate the presidential candidates – along with the rest of the nation – about the benefits of the Renewable Fuel Standard. The organization will ask the candidates to take a stand.
  2. Build a robust, statewide campaign organization that will educate Iowa caucus-goers in both parties about which candidates support the commonsense, bipartisan Renewable Fuel Standard.

The campaign will educate candidates and caucusgoers about the remarkable success of the RFS and of the growing importance of renewable fuels to the state’s economy as well as to America’s energy security.  Headquartered in Des Moines, it will be a robust presidential campaign operation with experienced political professionals from both parties – led by veteran operatives Eric Branstad and Derek Eadon.  It will include a 99 county field organization, advertising, earned media, public opinion research, stakeholder engagement, digital and social media outreach. 

Key Facts About Iowa and the Renewable Fuel Standard:

  • The Renewable Fuel Standard is a success story for Iowa and the Nation, creating homegrown American jobs and reducing our dependence on foreign oil.  It also gives consumers more choices at the pump – including cleaner, less expensive alternatives to regular gasoline.
  • The last time there was a wide open race for the nomination in both parties was 2007, just as the RFS was beginning to take effect.  Since that time, Iowa has built 17 new biorefineries, doubled ethanol production, tripled biodiesel production, and launched commercial scale production of cellulosic ethanol with three brand new facilities.  During this period, Iowa farmers have enjoyed their most prosperous years in history. 
  • From agriculture to manufacturing to trucking and ethanol infrastructure, more than 73,000 Iowa jobs depend on the renewable fuel industry, supporting $5 billion in wages to Iowa families.  There are now more than 50 ethanol or biodiesel refineries in Iowa – making it a broad based industry that benefits workers, families and communities in all 99 counties.
  • Those impressive numbers tell us two things:
  1. The bipartisan Renewable Fuel Standard is working for Iowa and the nation.  It has ensured that renewable fuel producers have access to a market that is otherwise controlled by oil.  The policy has allowed us to replace 10 percent of our nation’s fuel supply with a clean, American-made source of energy. 
  2. No candidate – in either party – can afford to ignore the benefits of the RFS for Iowa.  The renewable fuels industry has seen dramatic growth since 2007 and is going to be a bigger factor in Iowa than ever before. 

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Aaron L. Wells | Smoot Tewes Group
818 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 200
Washington, D.C. 20006