Ethanol producer group Growth Energy sponsored the grand opening of the 2010 Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo on Monday in St. Louis.
FEW organizer Mike Bryan introduced Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis, who said a few words of welcome to the crowd gathered around for the ribbon cutting to kick off the 26th annual event. “We all know we have tremendous challenges facing this industry and we all want to work really hard so that the industry continues to grow, we reduce our dependence on foreign oil, improve the environment and create jobs right here at home,” said Buis.
After the expo opened, Growth Energy co-chairman Gen. Wesley Clark gave a rouse the troops speech to the ethanol producers on the trade show floor, stressing the importance of domestically produced ethanol for our energy security. “There’s no point for America in getting hooked on somebody else’s liquid fuel when we can grow it right here ourselves,” said Clark. He noted that Brazil has agreed to sell ethanol to Iran, which he says is crossing the line. “I am just so proud of America’s agricultural community and what we’re doing here at home. How could we as a nation not want to maximize what we can do with our own land? Why would we want to outsource that to someone else?”
Listen to back to back interviews with Buis and Clark in the player below.