Ugh! I filled up my “economical” car today with gas for the low price of $41! It would have cost even more but I used ethanol, which in Iowa saves me nearly 10 cents a gallon. What I find so amazing is that we’re supposed to have so much oil, yet strangely despite a “surplus,” gas prices keep getting higher and higher. So what am I going to do about this? I’m heading to D.C. to participate in the American Coalition for Ethanol’s (ACE) Biofuels Beltway Fly-in.

In case you haven’t heard, I’m on a mission for lower prices at the pump and I know that consumer fuel choice will provide this. So does ACE. I also know that every voice counts and our elected leaders in D.C. need to hear them. So does ACE.

There is a lot on the line for the biofuels industry this year. There are well-funded attacks underway against the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and E15. These are two issues the ACE team, along with dozens of people from across the country will be speaking with the DC faction about, in their own words, telling their own stories.

“With nearly 100 new members of Congress taking office earlier this year, many with little exposure to ethanol, we need ethanol advocates in Washington more than ever,” says Shannon Gustafson, director of strategic projects for ACE. “The attacks on the RFS and E15 have been mounting, and ACE hopes to meet with a record number of Congressional offices to spread the message that the RFS is working and promoting consumer fuel choice.”

But the industry can’t do this if there is not a swarm of people on the ground in D.C.  We need LOTS of people to come along and tell their stories of how the biofuels industry has affected them. I am challenging the industry to have at least one ethanol advocate from every state – yeah, that means you too Alaska and Hawaii, to join ACE and others in DC this March 13-14th. To date, there are 20 people registered from Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska. This is a good start but this industry can do MUCH better.

The time to register is now. To participate, visit www.ethanol.org, or contact Shannon Gustafson at (605) 334-3381 ext. 16 or via email.