WASHINGTON – Senator Chuck Grassley continued to encourage Iowans to fight back against a D.C.-hatched attack on ethanol. Today, he sent letters to the Iowa Retail Federation and the Iowa Restaurant Association asking their leadership to contact each national association in protest of their support of a national campaign against ethanol.
Grassley learned that the National Retail Federation and the National Restaurant Association yesterday participated in a press conference call with the Grocery Manufacturers Association, the ring-leader of an ethanol smear campaign.
"You can imagine my sadness and disappointment when I learned that the National Retail Federation and National Restaurant Association took part in this call and joined in the GMA's efforts to undermine our policies to promote renewable energy," Grassley said. "Maybe the national associations will rethink their support if they hear from state-level members. The way things go for agriculture and renewable energy in Iowa has a lot to do with how they go for other parts of Iowa's economy, including retail and restaurants. Even before possible job losses and lower profits in farming, without ethanol, people across the country would pay more at the gas pump and have less money left in their pocketbooks to spend."
Here is a copy of the text of Grassley's letter to the Iowa Retail Federation and the Iowa Restaurant Association.
May 23, 2008
Mr. Jim Henter
President, Iowa Retail Federation
10555 New York Avenue, Suite 102
Urbandale, IA 50322
Dear Mr. Henter:
In recent days and weeks, I've been leading an effort to dispel the myths being perpetuated by an anti-ethanol smear campaign. The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) has hired a high-priced Washington, DC, public relations firm to carry out a misleading and disingenuous assault on ethanol.
On Thursday, May 22, the Grocery Manufacturers Association hosted a press conference call to blame ethanol and our biofuels policies for the increasing cost of food. You can imagine my sadness and disappointment when I learned that the National Retail Federation took part in this call and joined in the GMA's efforts to undermine our policies to promote renewable energy. Surely, the Iowa Retail Federation must not have known that your national association was taking part.
The fact is, the biggest culprit behind the increase in food and groceries is the increase in crude oil and energy costs. Many economists also point to the worldwide economic growth and demand for grains and meat, global weather problems and the weak U.S. dollar as having a bigger impact on the price of food than biofuels. Ethanol and biofuels are extending our fuel supply and actually lowering gas prices. GMA's efforts to undermine our biofuels policies won't lower food prices, but it will increase prices at the pump, and in turn drive food prices even higher.
The participation of your national organization is particularly troubling given the enormous economic impact that the agriculture and renewable energy industries have on the entire state of Iowa. I hope you share my support for the patriotic efforts of Iowa's farmers and agriculture industry to reduce our dependence on foreign oil while also providing safe and reliable food. If you agree, I hope you'll call on the National Retail Federation and express your displeasure with this unfounded smear campaign and strongly encourage them to withdraw from the Grocery Manufacturers Association's anti-ethanol coalition.
Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
Charles E. Grassley
United States Senator
May 23, 2008
Ms. Doni DeNucci
President and CEO
Iowa Restaurant Association
8525 Douglas Avenue, Suite 47
Des Moines, IA 50322
Dear Ms. DeNucci:
In recent days and weeks, I've been leading an effort to dispel the myths being perpetuated by an anti-ethanol smear campaign. The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) has hired a high-priced Washington, DC, public relations firm to carry out a misleading and disingenuous assault on ethanol.
On Thursday, May 22, the Grocery Manufacturers Association hosted a press conference call to blame ethanol and our biofuels policies for the increasing cost of food. You can imagine my sadness and disappointment when I learned that the National Restaurant Association took part in this call and joined in the GMA's efforts to undermine our policies to promote renewable energy. Surely, the Iowa Restaurant Association must not have known that your national association was taking part.
The fact is, the biggest culprit behind the increase in food and groceries is the increase in crude oil and energy costs. Many economists also point to the worldwide economic growth and demand for grains and meat, global weather problems and the weak U.S. dollar as having a bigger impact on the price of food than biofuels. Ethanol and biofuels are extending our fuel supply and actually lowering gas prices. GMA's efforts to undermine our biofuels policies won't lower food prices, but it will increase prices at the pump, and in turn drive food prices even higher.
The participation of your national organization is particularly troubling given the enormous economic impact that the agriculture and renewable energy industries have on the entire state of Iowa. I hope you share my support for the patriotic efforts of Iowa's farmers and agriculture industry to reduce our dependence on foreign oil while also providing safe and reliable food. If you agree, I hope you'll call on the National Restaurant Association and express your displeasure with this unfounded smear campaign and strongly encourage them to withdraw from the Grocery Manufacturers Association's anti-ethanol coalition.
Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
Charles E. Grassley
United States Senator