The President of the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association is calling on members to share their opinions on a host of issues prior to the ICA’s policy meeting in December. Ed Greiman of Garner says one of the hot topics up for debate among cattlemen involves ethanol and the Renewable Fuels Standard.
The ICA has historically supported the ethanol industry, but with talk of increasing the percentage of ethanol in gasoline, Greiman wants to know if that support is still there. “The real question I have of our members is…do we support the mandate maybe going to 15-percent? We hear a lot of rumblings about that and I do believe that debate is going to happen sometime in the next year,” Greiman says.
Ethanol is made from corn and some livestock producers are concerned that a move to E-15 will raise the cost of feed. “I would like more direction from our members,” Greiman says. “How do they feel about increasing the mandate?”
Another issue is Country of Origin Labeling on meat. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Department is pushing for labeling to be mandatory, while many in the cattle industry want labeling to be voluntary. Greiman wants to hear from Iowans on that issue as well. “I just want to make sure that we have policy in place at the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association that represents what Iowa cattlemen, across the state, really are thinking,” Greiman says.
Association members are encourage to call the ICA state office in Ames, and share their opinions, at (515) 296-2266. The ICA’s annual policy meeting is scheduled for December 9th through the 11th in Altoona.
(Reporting by Dan Skelton, KICD, Spencer)