Posted on 03/07/2015 5:10:11 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
Des Moines—Only weeks after taking this key state in the presidential race by surprise, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker returns to Iowa Saturday to defend his front-runner status at a major Republican event focused on 2016 and agricutural issues.
The GOP governor and a line-up of other major White House contenders—including former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush—will take the stage at the Iowa Ag Summit on Saturday at the state fairgrounds here.
A key point to watch will be whether Walker, an early favorite among conservatives for 2016, will stick to his past opposition to government intervention to aid the ethanol industry or moderate his stance to suit a state covered in cornfields.
One by one, GOP candidates will take the stage here to speak with moderator and prominent industry figure Bruce Rastetter, who will have a chance to pin down their positions on key farm issues such as trade and renewable fuel standards.
Much of the attention will focus on Walker and Bush, who is making his first appearance in this state in this cycle. But the lineup of Republicans will include: Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey, former Gov. Rick Perry and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, former Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas, and former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania.
Ethanol and renewable fuels will figure prominently in the event. One of the March 7 event's sponsors is America's Renewable Future, a new group aimed at encouraging presidential candidates to support the federal Renewable Fuel Standard.
Walker, a past critic of ethanol, acknowledged in January that he’ll have to spell out his position on the issue as part of his likely presidential bid.
“That's something that, should I be a candidate in the future, I probably would have to take a stand,” he told reporters in Madison.
Walker’s likely correct — in Iowa, ethnaol is unavoidable....
(Excerpt) Read more at jsonline.com ...
Can't wait to see who decides that if'n he ain't agin ethanol, and strongly so, then he don't not belongs in the race.....
This should be interesting.
March 7, 2015 - Farm Bureau, others question Scott Walker's proposed farm research cuts
"Researchers and supporters of a program that helps farmers run cleaner and more efficient operations say they were “stunned” and “blindsided” by Gov. Scott Walker’s proposal to cut a third of the project’s funding.
Discovery Farms, a UW-Extension program that dates to 2001, applies science from a “plows-on” level, evaluates and monitors efforts by state farmers to control runoff, calibrate fertilizer use and employ techniques to conserve land and water.
It has a $750,000 budget, of which $248,000 would be cut in the governor’s proposed state budget.
UW-Extension officials noted the loss affects longstanding projects and the ability of the small program to leverage crucial additional grants and funds.
“We would have a 1.2-employee reduction of staff and we would pull back some of our sampling efforts, water quality analysis and a project (set) for Rock County,” said Amber Radatz, project co-director.
The project’s programs include monitoring 20 state farms and educating thousands of farmers on conservation strategies.
“This was a big surprise to our agency partners as well as our partners in farm groups and in UW-Extension,” she said. “We never had an inkling.”
The $248,000 comes from a surcharge on farm chemical sales that would be discontinued."..................
If Walker becomes President I will finally have some hope.
I can’t believe the damage this communist monster Obama is doing to America and freedom, and the Internet(his FCC unconstitutionally passed net neutrality laws). Obama and the news media are destroying America, freedom and capitalism on purpose.
I just fear this evil marxist creep Obama will not leave in 2016. what a nightmare this Obama has created for us in a once free country the USA. the Obama pos done all this damage with the help of the news media and the democrat party
I hate Obama , the news media and all democrats who voted for this cretin Obama. I can’t believe we are living in this nightmare. What these traitors have done to America, freedom, opportunity ,prosperity is the worst thing any group has ever done . Walker needs to reduce the size of government and eliminate most gov regulations on business and the new communist regulations on the Internet (get rid of these unconstitutionally passed by the FCC laws) etc. and stop the influx of 3rd world immigrants or at least halt the slide into socialism(hell).
Some one wake me from this nightmare. what happened to my free market country?
This socialist creep Obama even illegally regulated the Internet by getting his FCC to illegally pass the socialist net neutrality laws. I’d take Bozo the clown or even Charles Manson as a Replacement over this cretin Obama. But Walker is my dream President. He would restore freedom and prosperity in America by limiting the government
We cannot continue this charade of presidential candidates, especially Republicans who should know better, kissing the ass of this state every election cycle. These clowns need to pound sand. If ethanol can't compete in the marketplace without mandates and subsidies, then it needs to be said.
Burning food for fuel is the most preposterous economic position one can have.
“Tell Iowans to their faces that ethanol is a friggin’ scam.....”
I’m on the other side of the Mississippi in big corn country. Everybody knows it’s a scam. It’s just been a very profitable one for some folks.
It was noted last week that Iowa big corn hired a second lobby group.
They now have one lobby group for the Dems and a different group for the GOP.
I think it was kind of stupid, it is almost like they are afraid that the GOP-e would not take money from a Dem. Lobbyist. We all know that has not been a problem in the past.
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