When Americans for Prosperity (AFP) held a rally in Iowa last week, the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) called on AFP to set the record straight and get the correct facts out when it comes to ethanol and oil policy.

“AFP’s energy policy should come with a whiplash warning,” stated IRFA Executive Director Monte Shaw. “They start by saying the government should not pick ‘winners and losers’ and then turnaround and promote favorable tax subsidies for the oil industry. Whenever a pro-oil group like AFP comes into Iowa spreading inaccurate or out-of-date information, IRFA will be here to set the record straight.”

AFP’s website is replete with numerous inaccurate and out-of-date attacks on ethanol while hypocritically supporting oil industry specific tax subsidies, according to IRFA. Even more telling, at no time has the so-called “free market” group called for an end to the federal petroleum mandate that prevents consumers from choosing the fuel of their choice.

“AFP’s hypocrisy is astounding,” continued Shaw. “On the same page they criticize the now expired ethanol tax credit, AFP argues for the continuation of intangible drilling cost expensing. That tax subsidy can only be claimed by those drilling oil wells and has been around since 1913, the inception of the modern federal tax code. When will oil be ready to stand on its own two feet without a taxpayer crutch?”

Shaw concluded, “At the same time AFP criticizes the federal renewable fuels standard, they remain silent on the federal petroleum mandate, which forces the vast majority of consumers to purchase fuels that contain at least 85% petroleum or face massive federal fines. In reality AFP is working to keep federal energy policy tilted heavily in favor of oil.”