While his party prepares in New York City to nominate him for a second term, President George W. Bush will make a campaign stop at the Farm Progress Show near Alleman today (Tuesday). Iowa farmer Glenn Keppy of Davenport chairs an “Iowa farm team” named back in December to court the farm vote. He says the president believes ethanol and bio-diesel are good for Iowa because the air quality’s important and such projects provide jobs and tax revenues as well as being environmentally friendly. Keppy says Iowa farmers should credit Bush for helping open up trade. Keppy says all Bush’s trade policies are beneficial to Iowa, saying he’s worked hard to open markets overseas and is working now on agreements with Chile, Central America, Australia and China. Keppy, a past president of the Iowa Pork Producers, says the president’s back in Iowa because he knows how important the rural vote is in states like this. Keppy will leave for New York after the president’s visit to the Farm Progress Show, to represent farmers at the Republican National Convention. Keppy says he thinks farming is more important than some of the issues politicians concern themselves with, but thinks the president’s aware the strength of this country is in agriculture. President Bush will return to the state on Friday, the day after giving his nomination acceptance speech on Thursday. Bush will hold a campaign rally in Cedar Rapids.
