Ideas tend to build DeSantis is his earlier Support eradication efforts The Renewable Fuel Standard requires oil refiners to blend a minimum amount of renewable fuel into the nation’s transportation fuel each year.
It’s a recurring political drama in the influential corn state — one A resurgence between Trump and President Joe Biden on the campaign trail in 2020 and emerged with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, He won the Iowa caucuses in 2016.
“I fought for Iowa ethanol like no other president in history, and for ethanol like no other president,” Trump said Friday.
The comments put a spotlight on Trump’s own record while in the Oval Office. Trump drew praise from biofuels advocates for his move to sell year-round fuel blends with 15 percent ethanol, known as E15. The effort was ultimately struck down by a federal appeals court.
Although several meetings were held in this regard, Trump left the White House Without building an agreement on politically fraught decisions on biofuels policy.
“Now [DeSantis] Come here and say, ‘I’m actually pro-ethanol. I think it’s wonderful,” Trump said. “One thing about a politician, … when they have their initial thoughts, they go back.”
DeSantis’ press secretary, Bryan Griffin, said the former president’s comments on Friday were not the first to “tarnish” the governor’s record, but said DeSantis is a candidate who shares the values ​​of Iowans.
“As president, Ron DeSantis will be a champion for farmers and use every tool available to open new markets,” Griffin said in a statement.
Monte Shaw, executive director of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, said DeSantis’ previous efforts to undo the renewable fuel standard are not an automatic disqualification in the state, and the ethanol policy is often seen as “discrepancy” in GOP primaries. Iowa voters are “open-minded” — as evidenced by Cruz’s campaign victory despite opposing the ethanol mandate. It is “subtle”. Shah said.
“I don’t see a lot of Iowans who care 10 years ago that a congressman represented a district in another state,” he said, adding that voters are now more interested in hearing about his national energy policy.
He noted that DeSantis has taken steps that Iowa farmers can appreciate A recent veto of the bill That would be “a practical mandate” for electric vehicles.
The former president launched the “Farmers for Trump” coalition on Friday, which touted his support for access to new markets for ethanol and pledged to reverse the Biden administration’s “disastrous policies” on Day 1. He has made statements saying he will repeal every Biden policy that treats farmers “brutally” — Biden is trying to “kill” Iowa ethanol and replace it with electric cars.
Trump also promised to allow ethanol exports around the world.
“President Trump has proven himself to be the most pro-farmer president in our nation’s history,” Iowa State Rep. Mike Sexton said at the launch event, which Sexton co-chairs, Trump Farmers.
But during his time in the Oval Office, the Trump EPA’s actions in setting blending requirements under the renewable fuel standard were sometimes criticized. Corn State LegislatorsFarmers and biofuel producers, including rebates that benefit oil refineries, further widen the divide between the oil and biofuel industries.
Ahead of his comments, Shaw said Trump’s record on ethanol was a mixed bag with support from the former president. Expansion of tax credits for carbon capture and sequestration A positive development spurred new multibillion-dollar projects in Iowa, but his approval of refinery exemptions reduced demand for biofuels.
“There are a lot of ethanol advocates and farmers that I talk to that definitely have mixed feelings about his record on biofuels,” Shaw said. “There were some good things. Some things caused an economic crisis for our industry. So if he’s going to come out and focus on renewable fuels, we want him to have a clear message about looking forward, not just talking about the past.
