(Merrill) — Governor Terry Branstad visited the Plymouth Energy ethanol production
facility at Merrill Wednesday afternoon. Branstad met with plant officials and
area legislators. He says part of the discussion focused on a bill that was passed
during the legislative session, that will hopefully offer more tax breaks and
incentives for ethanol producing facilities to look at expanding into other
products besides ethanol.
Branstad also spoke about the Environmental Protection Agency needs to establish
the Renewable Fuels Standard at the level Congress had approved.
Recently, Branstad’s son Eric Branstad has joined the Don Trump’s campaign. Eric
Branstad had been working with America’s Renewables Future, a pro-ethanol advocacy
group. Branstad believes his son Eric will be able to show Donald Trump the
importance of the ethanol to Iowa’s economy.
Iowa leads the nation in renewable energy production in ethanol, bio-diesel, and
with wind energy.
(Maurice) — Following his ethanol visit, the Iowa governor then traveled north to
a dairy farm near Maurice. Branstad praised the efforts of the Western Iowa Dairy
Alliance and Midland Dairy Association, along with the Maassen family for hosting
the open house dairy tour. Branstad says he is concerned that as people get
generations removed from production agriculture, they may take their food for
granted, as well as have wrong ideas as to the production methods of modern
agriculture.
Governor Branstad says agriculture has changed, and people need to realize those
changes have been made to make certain the world has enough abundant food supply.
