U.S. Senate holds hearing on food, fuel, feed in Strauss auditorium
Scott Stewart
Issue date: 8/25/08 Section: News
Last week, Sens. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., and Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, visited the University of Nebraska at Omaha to conduct a Senate Field Hearing focused on food, fuel and livestock feed production.
Nelson said he was pleased Omaha was chosen to host the hearing, since it sits at the center of the debate over ethanol biofuels and the need for food and feed production. The Strauss Performing Arts Center hosted the hearing, which began at 9 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 18.
Nine witnesses from the greater Omaha area were scheduled to testify before the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, which Nelson sits on and Harkin chairs. Witnesses were experts in agriculture, economics, food production, livestock production and renewable energy.
Included among the witnesses were Tim Recker, president of the Iowa Corn Growers Association, and Bruce Babcock, director of Iowa State University's Center for Agricultural and Rural Development.
Nelson, a vocal supporter of corn-based ethanol, said the hearing's focus was on addressing criticism of ethanol and viewing all sides of the issue.
"The focus here should be on the big picture: ethanol is the only domestically produced alternative to oil-based transportation fuels," Nelson said in prepared remarks.
"We want to see all of agriculture survive and prosper, including grain farmers, livestock producers, ethanol producers and food processors, while benefiting the average American family, our local communities, our national energy security and the national economy. This is money wisely invested in the American Midwest and not in the Middle East."
Nelson said he was pleased Omaha was chosen to host the hearing, since it sits at the center of the debate over ethanol biofuels and the need for food and feed production. The Strauss Performing Arts Center hosted the hearing, which began at 9 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 18.
Nine witnesses from the greater Omaha area were scheduled to testify before the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, which Nelson sits on and Harkin chairs. Witnesses were experts in agriculture, economics, food production, livestock production and renewable energy.
Included among the witnesses were Tim Recker, president of the Iowa Corn Growers Association, and Bruce Babcock, director of Iowa State University's Center for Agricultural and Rural Development.
Nelson, a vocal supporter of corn-based ethanol, said the hearing's focus was on addressing criticism of ethanol and viewing all sides of the issue.
"The focus here should be on the big picture: ethanol is the only domestically produced alternative to oil-based transportation fuels," Nelson said in prepared remarks.
"We want to see all of agriculture survive and prosper, including grain farmers, livestock producers, ethanol producers and food processors, while benefiting the average American family, our local communities, our national energy security and the national economy. This is money wisely invested in the American Midwest and not in the Middle East."
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