He says all of the organization s 1,100 members should have been surveyed on the ethanol issue rather than just those who sell fuel. Those members are also affected by the issue, Smith explains. He also questions if AAI leaders made up their minds on this issue before it surveyed members. So, the debate continues at the Capitol for another year. A legislative interim committee is to be named yet this summer to look at the ethanol issue.
Organizations have six months to survey their members and determine their lobbying stances.
Lawmakers have time to decide what specific types of changes they might support. Meanwhile, Bartz says, ethanol supporters will continue debunking myths about the product and will try to build new coalitions to support an industry they see as beneficial to farmers and to Iowans as a whole. We ll keep trying, he says.