(KIWA Staff Photo)Iowa (RI) — The two candidates running for Iowa secretary of agriculture offered opposing views on the future of Iowa’s ethanol industry during a taping of Iowa PBS’s “Iowa Press” on Thursday.
Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig, a Republican seeking a third term, said ethanol has been a major benefit to Iowa’s economy and agricultural sector.
Democratic challenger Chris Jones, a retired research scientist whose work focused largely on water quality, argued the state has become too dependent on a corn-soybean production system supported by ethanol.
Jones says demand for liquid fuels, including ethanol, is likely to decline as vehicles become more fuel efficient. He says that if elected, he would lead a conversation about what comes next for the Iowa land currently devoted to growing corn for ethanol plants.
Naig said that rising fuel prices show the need for more domestic energy production, including renewable fuels like ethanol.
The candidates made their comments during a taping of this week’s “Iowa Press,” which is scheduled to air Friday on Iowa PBS.
