DC Fly-in Recap: Working to Ensure Ethanol, Farmers are Part of the Climate Solution

By: ACE Staff

Photos Taken By: Cindy Zimmerman, ZimmComm New Media

As policymakers consider steps to curb carbon pollution, advocates spread the message on the Hill that these policies must reward farmers and ethanol producers for being part of the solution.

For more than a decade, over 300 unique individuals representing 30 states have participated in ACE fly-ins, meeting with Members of Congress and top Administration officials. The 2023 ACE Fly-in & Government Affairs Summit was no exception, with 60 grassroots participants taking nearly 100 meetings with members of Congress. Fly-in attendees also ACE also met with EPA Senior Agriculture Advisor to the Administrator Rod Snyder regarding emergency steps to allow E15 in 2023 and other issues under the jurisdiction of EPA, and with USDA Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Robert Bonnie regarding the role climate-smart agriculture plays in reducing ethanol’s carbon footprint, among other issues. Senator Amy Klobuchar (MN) addressed the fly-in group as well. This year’s event included representation from dozens of ethanol companies and five fuel retailer companies, in addition to corn farmers and industry service and product suppliers.

Key topics ACE and its fly-in attendees prioritized in meetings with Congress included: 1) support for The Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act (H.R. 1608, S. 785) to allow nationwide and permanent E15 market access; 2) support for the Next Generation Fuels Act (H.R. 2434, S. 944) to leverage higher octane fuels, and 3) to ensure any new clean fuel or climate policy rewards farmers and biofuel producers for their valuable contributions as part of the climate solution. 

Other important topics such as the Farm Bill, ensuring the Renewable Fuel Standard is getting back on track, and implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act also received key attention during the event. ACE looks forward to continuing to get traction around these issues in the year ahead and encourages you to mark your calendar for ACE’s next fly-in March 21-22, 2024.

VARIETY OF VOICES: Sixty ethanol advocates from across the U.S. joined ACE for its 12^th annual fly-in, taking 100 meetings with members of Congress and their staff.

ADDRESSED BY THE AGENCY: Rod Snyder, senior agriculture advisor to the administrator at EPA, tells fly-in attendees, “We know both the ag and biofuel communities play a key role in helping meet our climate goals.”

ILLINOIS REPRESENTS: ACE members from Illinois met with Representative Eric Sorensen (IL-17) to discuss ACE priority issues and invite the representative to the Adkins Energy ethanol plant in Lena.

MINNESOTA REPRESENTS: ACE members from Minnesota, including representatives with Chippewa Valley Ethanol Co. of Benson and Kurita America, met with Representative Angie Craig (MN-2)) thanking her for her leadership and support for priority biofuel issues.

IOWA REPRESENTS: Lisa Coffelt with the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, Rick Schwarck with Absolute Energy in St. Ansgar, IA, and Good & Quick convenience store owners Charlie and Alex Good from Nevada, IA, met with Representative Randy Feenstra (IA-4) to discuss the importance of E15 and biofuel infrastructure funding.

HILL MEETING IN ACTION: Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa took a meeting with Dave and Shirly Sovereign, representing Golden Grain Energy in Mason City, Iowa, along with Mike Jerke and Ann Reis of Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy located in Council Bluffs.

SUPPORT FROM USDA: “I hope you know this administration has a strong commitment to ethanol,” said Robert Bonnie, USDA Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Robert as he addressed fly-in attendees. “There’s a lot of alignment between things that can be good for climate, and that can be good for agriculture, and that can create rural jobs, and biofuels is a perfect example of that.”

ETHANOL CHAMPION: Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota relayed the work she’s doing to champion biofuels, including leading the re-introduction of the Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act and the Next Generation Fuels Act – two key priorities for our Hill visits yesterday that could have a huge impact on our industry.

OPEN DIALOGUE: Rod Snyder, senior agriculture advisor to the administrator at EPA, took questions from ACE fly-in attendees, including what actions EPA would consider to allow E15 year-round for the upcoming summer driving season.

READY TO TAKE ON THE HILL: ACE fly-in attendees meet with their groups to prepare for the day’s Hill visits and review the key priorities they hope to address.

VALUABLE VISIT: After a hiatus brought on by covid-19 and other Hill restrictions, ACE staff enjoyed bringing advocates back to Washington, DC to put a face behind the biofuel issues.

Testimonials:

“Meeting with congressional representatives during the ACE fly in was a wonderful experience. It not only provided us the opportunity to speak on a topic we feel passionate about to individuals who can influence policy, but in many cases, it also allowed us to educate individuals on the benefits and misunderstandings surrounding ethanol.” – Ann Reis, Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy (SIRE)

“I believe the ACE fly-in allowed middle America to showcase some of its greatest talents and achievements. Ethanol is one of the many benefits the farm industry has and has proven time and time again to be a safe and reliable fuel. ACE has been a leader in biofuels discussion and an organization many can look to for leadership.” – Alex Good, Good and Quick

“The ACE Fly-in provided a great opportunity to thank supporters and provide actual feedback on how the ethanol industry benefits their constituents economically and environmentally while also providing the opportunity to provide current information to additional legislators and their staff members in an effort to build upon the ethanol industry's base of supporters.” – Dave Sovereign, Golden Grain Energy

“The ACE staff always prepares us for the Fly-In and this allows us to be more effective in our communication to congress members and their staff.” – Jerry Tegels, H2O Innovation

“Attending the ACE fly-in has an impact on our legislators and their staff. It is important for us to thank our legislative supporters who carry our ethanol industry message. It is also important to provide an accurate ethanol message of how ethanol can help — consumers, the environment and our country — to ethanol opponents in the legislature.” – John Christianson, Christianson PLLP