Former Iowa governor and Democratic presidential candidate Tom Vilsack says it’s time to end tariffs that block the import of ethanol from Brazil.
During an appearance on CNBC Monday night, Vilsack argued that move would help build demand for the higher-concentration of ethanol fuel. "Bring the Brazilian ethanol into this country, create a demand for E85, put pressure on Detroit to create more flexible-fuel vehicles," Vilsack said.
A spokesperson for the Iowa Corn Growers Association was not immediately available for comment.
Vilsack also repeated his call for congress to cut off funds for the Iraq war. "I think it’s the right and moral position to take given the fact that we have been there for four years, given the fact that we’ve created this opportunity and given the fact that most military experts do not believe a surge, do not believe additional troops or capping troops is going to work," Vilsack said.
Since December Vilsack has argued the Iraqis should be forced to shoulder more responsibility for security within their own borders. You can find a transcript of Vilsack’s CNBC interview on the Radio Iowa Blog.