Ron DeSantis’ Ethanol Record

November 03, 2023

"Ron DeSantis is no friend to Iowa as his disastrous record on ethanol makes him an unfit candidate. While in Congress, DeSantis voted to eliminate the Renewable Fuel Standard, and a year later went even further to co-sponsor legislation that would have immediately ended it."

- Steven Cheung, spokesperson

 

“Iowa is the nation's largest ethanol producer. Forty-one plants are based in the state, stretching all the way from Council Bluffs and the Nebraska border to the West to Muscatine and the Illinois border to the East. Last year, the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association said that the state set another record as it produced 4.5 billion barrels of ethanol. In 2021, the last year for which there is full data, the US in total produced 15 billion barrels.” – Business Insider, 2/28/23

 

DeSantis Supported Killing A Federal Mandate That Is Widely Supported By The Ethanol Industry

 

In 2015, DeSantis voted to eliminate The Renewable Fuel Standard as part of the FY 2016 Budget.

 

In 2017, DeSantis co-sponsored legislation that would have immediately ended the Renewable Fuel Standard, a mandate that requires renewable fuel to be blended into the nation's fuel supply.

 

“The federal mandate applies to multiple categories of biofuels, but it's main requirements are met by corn starch ethanol.”

 

President Trump’s Accomplishments

 

Under President Trump’s leadership he authorized ethanol producers to sell E15 year-round and allowed higher-ethanol gasoline to be distributed from existing pumps at filling stations.

 

Sen. Grassley praised President Trump’s ethanol efforts stating, “We probably wouldn’t be where we are without Trump’s personal involvement in it.”

 

President Trump also worked to allow E15 ethanol to be sold using E10 pumps.

 

In 2020, the Trump Administration announced the investment of over $9.3 million in grants to Iowa to increase ethanol and biodiesel sales.

 

As a result of the agreement President Trump negotiated, Japan agreed to over 90 percent of U.S. food and agricultural imports into Japan will either be duty free or receive preferential tariff access.

 

Thanks to President Trump’s strong trade policies, in 2020, China made its largest ever purchase of U.S. corn, valued at $325 million.

 

President Trump rebuilt and invested in rural America. In 2019, President Trump signed an Executive Order on Modernizing the Regulatory Framework for Agricultural Biotechnology Products, which brought innovative new technologies to market in American farming and agriculture.

 

Brazil agreed to raise its quotas for purchases of United States ethanol. 

 

President Trump’s Future Plans On Ethanol

 

President Trump will rapidly restore American Energy Independence, and Energy dominance, with Iowa ethanol at the center of the action.

 

President Trump has promised to both increase Ethanol production in our own country and export ethanol all over the world.

 

Just as he did for four straight years, President Trump will protect Iowa Ethanol from anyone who wishes to destroy it.