Press Contact: Monte Shaw

515-252-6249

Recommending E15 Would Be Concrete Step to Support Farmers

JOHNSTON, IOWA – Following the overwhelming public response to Chrysler Group’s Super Bowl commercial highlighting the importance of America’s farmers, more than 100 Iowans signed a letter to Chrysler urging the auto manufacturer to follow Ford Motor Company and General Motors in recommending E15 for use in its new vehicles.  Higher ethanol blends like E15 are necessary to maintain the farm prosperity that renewable fuels have created over the last seven years.  The signatures were gathered during the 7th Annual Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit.

The letter stated, “E15 is playing an important role in growing the nation’s economy and providing fuel choice for consumers. Ford and General Motors have already approved E15 for their new cars. The undersigned Iowans ask Chrysler to also approve E15 for its new vehicles.”

“We commend Chrysler for its outstanding Super Bowl ad showing support for the American farmer,” Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) Executive Director Monte Shaw.  “Now Chrysler needs to take concrete action and recommend E15 for use in its new vehicles.  E15 contains 50 percent more farmer-made ethanol than today’s standard blend.  Iowans want to be able to use homegrown fuels like E15 that reduce our dependence on imports and support our farmers.”

Iowa is the leader in renewable fuels production.  Iowa has 41 ethanol refineries capable of producing over 3.7 billion gallons annually, with one wet mill and two cellulosic ethanol facilities currently under construction. In addition, Iowa has 12 biodiesel facilities with the capacity to produce nearly 315 million gallons annually.

The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association was formed in 2002 to represent the state’s liquid renewable fuels industry. The trade group fosters the development and growth of the renewable fuels industry in Iowa through education, promotion, legislation and infrastructure development.