Major Ethanol Producers’ Organization Endorses Obama
In concert with the opening of the Democratic National Convention in Denver, the American Corn Growers Association (ACGA) has announced their endorsement of Barack Obama for President of the United States.
This marks the first endorsement by a major biofuels trade association in the 2008 US presidential campaign, and only the second time in the ACGA’s twenty-one year history that they have ever endorsed any presidential candidate.
The American Corn Growers Association represents 14,000 members in 35 states. Keith Bolin ACGA president and a corn and hog farmer in Obama’s home state of Illinois issued a simultaneously glowing endorsement of Obama and blistering critique of McCain.
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Major points from his endorsement:
- Obama clearly supports the expansion of renewable energy such as advanced ethanol, biodiesel and wind generated electricity, whereas McCain has “perhaps the single most negative record of any Senator” when voting on issues of agriculture and ethanol.
- Senator Obama supported the recently passed “Farm Bill,” whereas “McCain has opposed every farm bill that has come before Congress for more than a decade.”
Keith Bolin’s full endorsement:
“We have closely studied the on-line agricultural and rural policy statements of the two candidates and their voting records. Following a meeting with the Obama campaign at our board conference in Omaha last week, the decision was clear to us. ACGA endorses and supports the election of Senator Obama for President of the United States.”
“At this time of great opportunity to rebuild not only rural America, but all America through an aggressive national commitment to renewable energy of all kinds, the voting record and policy statements of Senator Obama and Senator McCain indicate very contrasting differences.”
“While John McCain is a great man and a true hero, he has built a very pronounced and consistent record on agriculture and ethanol during his twenty-two years as a U.S. Senator, and it is perhaps the single most negative record of any Senator.”
“When compared to Senator Obama, who supports the expansion of renewable energy such as advanced ethanol, biodiesel and wind generated electricity, our decision was obvious.”
“ACGA has a long public record of supporting not only corn ethanol, but also advanced ethanol from biomass and other non-food and feed crops. We see corn ethanol as the necessary initial building block for a vast expansion of renewable energy production of all kinds, benefiting America as a whole by moving towards energy independence. ACGA is also the leading national farm organization for the promotion and development of wind energy. Therefore, we take this year’s election and our endorsement of Senator Obama very seriously.”
“Senator Obama also supported the recently passed Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 — or as it is commonly called, the farm bill.”
“Farmers and rural voters understand the importance of farm bills. These packages not only address agriculture and farms, but cover the full dynamic scope of issues vital to rural America: conservation, trade, rural development, research, nutrition, rural credit, and more. In fact, the new farm bill spends over 80 percent of its resources on non-farm programs and rightfully does not even have ‘farm’ in its title.”
“So it is not lost on rural Americans that Senator McCain has opposed every farm bill that has come before Congress for more than a decade. It did not matter if the farm bills were written under Republicans or Democrats. It did not matter if the farm bill came at a time when crop prices were high or low, reflected policies that were ‘liberal’ or ‘conservative,’ or stressed conservation, rural development, trade, or research. Senator McCain opposed them all and publically demanded that President Bush veto this year’s farm bill.”
“I can say unequivocally as an Illinois farmer that Senator Obama has exactly the same amount of experience in terms of time served in the Illinois Legislature and in the U.S. Congress as another Illinois lawyer who was elected President just as the nation was coming apart at the seams - Abraham Lincoln. Senator Obama is ready to lead America and the American Corn Growers wholeheartedly endorse him for President of the United States of America.”
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Source: Wisbusiness.com Press Release (via Biofuels Digest)
Image Credit: American Corn Growers Association
So if instead of growing what people want or need and what is most ecological you prefer just having the tax payers send you a check, then you should care who the ACGA endorses.
Andy,
To their credit, the ACGA does state in their endorsement:
“ACGA has a long public record of supporting not only corn ethanol, but also advanced ethanol from biomass and other non-food and feed crops. We see corn ethanol as the necessary initial building block for a vast expansion of renewable energy production of all kinds, benefiting America as a whole by moving towards energy independence. ACGA is also the leading national farm organization for the promotion and development of wind energy.”
I am happy for any good thing they support. But to clarify my point, the ExxonMobile website says “We believe that advances in technology are the solution to many of the toughest energy challenges.” But that doesn’t mean ExxonMobile’s endorsement of presidential candidate makes them the best champion of green tech.
Seriously, why is anyone even still making alcohol out of corn? Corn’s ‘initial building block contribution’ to the ethanol industry should be showing us that making ethanol from corn is a really inefficient way to make ethanol.
This is something that anyone who’s environmentally conscious should criticize, not accept! As for McCain & his attitude towards ethanol in relation to ACGA’s blistering criticism - McCain opposes tariffs on ethanol import as well as the subsidies for the highly inefficient corn-based ethanol. That would open up, for one, the US market for Brazilian sugarcane ethannol, effectively killing any US corn-based ethanol producers. And, in terms of farm subsidies specifically, I think it’s clear that artificially propping up farmers helps no one, especially when one considers maximizing efficiency. Doesn’t improved efficiency *help* the environment?
Politicians cater to interest groups and go in the easiest direction too much - the Republicans do it, and, as we can see, so do the Democrats. But when it’s wrong, like here, then no matter who does, put your political favouritism aside and call it out.
As [even] AP reported, “Republican presidential candidate John McCain opposes the $300 billion farm bill and subsidies for ethanol, positions that both supporters and opponents say might cost him votes he needs in the upper Midwest this November.”
Bill,
I like your well reasoned response and logical thinking. Although I agree the “farm bill” is broken in that it lopsidedly favors corn growers and other huge farming industries, I still think we need to start developing an ethanol infrastructure NOW.
What this means is that, like it or not, we have to start making our own ethanol (or importing it from Brazil) until second gen ethanol comes online.
As for the content of the “farm bill,” although there are many provisions that do favor industries that maybe shouldn’t be getting such overwhelmingly lopsided benefits, it does contain a HUGE amount of support for other types of farmers and conservation efforts which make it a worthy endeavor regardless of it’s shortcomings… Just my humble opinion.
What a Shame!
Supporting the pro-terrorist choice for president. Hussein Obama’s personal friends include Weather Underground terrorist William Ayers and had anti-American pro-terrorist Ingrid Mattson from the indicted terrortist isna speak at the DNC on 8/25/08.
Joe,
The lunacy of your logic defies all that is human.
It’s like me saying that you’re a communist because your last name sounds like a fermented milk drink that originated in the Caucasus region.
This is a seriously dubious endorsment. The corn lobby endorsment is a serious indictment against Obama from the standpoint that almost everything they stand for is old world, and maintaining the status quo. Obama supports the farm bill? In no way does this bill support farms unless by farms you mean large agribusiness.
This lobby is deeply entrenched in seeing subsidies continue for these large businesses.
Corn groups are endorsing Obama because they heel to ADM’s dictat from Decatur and on June 23 the New York Times confirmed Obama has been riding in ADM jets, introducing ethanol expansion legislation favorable to their interests (about the only thing he did in the US Senate), surrounded himself with top “ethanol industry” (i.e. ADM sponsored) “advisors” such as former senator Daschle, Jason Grumet (former Bob Dole aide), Greg Craig and others.
As the dominant ethanol producer, ADM has undue–if not controlling influence– in far too many farm organizations– which enables it to use their networks of individuals to vector in large campaign contributions to the chosen candidates- sidestepping campaign finance laws. ADM money is choking off democractic choices.