Iowa summit shines spotlight on agriculture

Nine GOP White House contenders did their best to sound more compelling and better-versed on farm-related matters than their competitors Saturday as they were quizzed during an unusual showcase of agriculture policy on the presidential campaign trail.

A witty performance by South Carolina U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham captured the most applause during the 6½-hour examination of some wonkish policy matters at the Iowa Ag Summit, a first-of-its-kind event organized by pork and ethanol entrepreneur Bruce Rastetter.

But it remains to be seen whether Graham, who barely registers in polling, will get the kind of lift that Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker did after his buzzy speech to a similar-sized audience of Iowans and national press six weeks ago at the Iowa Freedom Summit, the first "cattle call" presidential audition of the year in Iowa.

MORE: Full Ag Summit Coverage | Coverage by candidate

"I don't know that we've really separated the wheat from the chaff here," Iowa conservative blogger Todd Erzen said after Saturday's event at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. "Lindsey Graham had them laughing it up like he was on the set of 'Hee-Haw' or something, but unless the world is going to turn on wind tax credits and GMOs in the next couple months, I don't think this was a game-changer."

Unlike the raucous, free-wheeling political rock concert that was the freedom summit, which was hosted by conservative Republican U.S. Rep. Steve King, Rastetter, a mainstream Republican, kept tighter control on the conversation. He staged a living-room-like setting with leather chairs and a vase of tulips and conducted interview-style question-and-answer sessions on renewable fuels, the wind energy production tax credit, normalizing trade with Cuba, biotechnology, illegal immigration, water pollution from farm runoff and other topics.

The mood in the crowd of about 900 was warm but mostly subdued as they heard from, in order: New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, Graham, former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, former New York Gov. George Pataki and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. Despite the free tickets and free lunch, a third of the seats were empty by afternoon.

Differences evident on renewable fuel mandate

The Republicans' stances differed little except on the Renewable Fuel Standard, a federal mandate that outlines how much ethanol and biodiesel must be blended annually into the country's fuel supply. Most said they understand and accept the need for the mandate, at least until it can be phased out. Santorum and Huckabee in particular passionately defended it.

But Pataki expressed vocal opposition to the RFS, as did Cruz, whose answers were met with applause.

Ryan Hoover, a 28-year-old who farms in northern Iowa and sells real estate, said he'd always liked Christie and Huckabee, and on Saturday, Cruz caught his attention.

"I gained some respect for Ted Cruz — his ability to answer questions head-on and not sidestep," Hoover said.

Perry's answer on the RFS was hard to pin down, some Iowans said.

"I don't know what (Perry) said. I'm not sure he knows what he said," Monte Shaw, executive director of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, told the Register in an interview. "I was so confused with his RFS answer, I couldn't concentrate on the rest of his speech."

Perry said he tried to get a waiver for all or part of the mandate in 2012, given drought conditions that drove the price of corn to record highs for livestock ranchers in Texas and elsewhere.

"I was doing what was right for producers at the time," Perry said. But he also said he opposes mandating use of biofuels.

"I don't think Washington, D.C., (should decide), whether it's what our children's curriculum should be or health care needs to be, or picking winners or losers on agricultural products," he said.

VIDEOS: Best excerpts from potential 2016 candidate speeches
COLUMN: Ag Summit tests GOP field on ethanol
VIGNETTES: Sights, scenes from the Iowa Ag Summit

Walker said he doesn't like "a whole lot of government interference" and thinks the Renewable Fuel Standard could be reduced in the future.

"But I do believe — and we've talked about this before — it's an access issue, and so it's something I'm willing to go forward on continuing the Renewable Fuel Standard and pressing the EPA to make sure there's certainty in terms of the blend levels set."

Bush, too, foresees eventually eliminating the RFS. For now, though, Bush said he thought the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency should create a more certain playing field. "The uncertainty makes it hard to make investment decisions. … Ultimately, whether it's ethanol or any other alternative fuel, the markets ultimately will have to decide this."

Bush added: "The law that passed in 2007 has worked. Look at the increase in production. It's been a benefit to us as we've reduced dependency on foreign oil. But as we move forward, over the long haul, there should be certainty to invest, and we ought to continue to innovate the lowest-cost energy sources in the world so we can grow economically."

Bill Couser, who owns a Nevada, Ia., cattle feedlot, said the renewable fuels mandate is making a difference in towns across the state.

Nevada is home to DuPont's new $225 million cellulosic ethanol plant, the next generation of renewable fuel, next to an existing plant.

The cellulosic plant will use corncobs, stalks and leaves to make ethanol. It's one of three cellulosic plants in Iowa.

"I'd like to say, 'Come to Nevada, Ia. Let me show you what's happened to my community, with an ethanol plant. The businesses that have sprung up, the jobs we've created, the new schoolhouse.' "

Several praised; Graham singled out for humor

Craig Lang, a former president of the Iowa Farm Bureau whose family owns a Brooklyn dairy, said all the speakers had well-developed stands on agriculture, but three speakers stood out to him: Graham, Walker and Bush.

Cameras flashed for the entire 20 minutes Bush was on stage. This trip was his first trial run of the presidential campaign trail since he was here for an extended period in 1979 during his father's race, and for one or two trips for his brother's 2000 race.

Bush, who has gotten some pushback from conservatives on his stance on immigration reform, laid out his guiding principles, saying that after the Southern border is secure, the focus should be on legalizing immigrants who can benefit the economy. Limit the number of extended family members who can be brought in to just spouses and children under 18, he said.

Graham, too, spoke in favor of immigration reform, including legal status for undocumented workers, a stand often opposed by conservative audiences. He cast his support in terms of economic necessity, to expand the workforce to pay for entitlement programs for retiring Baby Boomers.

WHO CAME OUT AHEAD? What attendees had to say | Grading the speakers

Huckabee had some of the best one-liners. "If we could harness the wind that comes out of Congress, we would supply the energy needs of the world," he said.

Asked about giving the president authority to negotiate trade agreements that must come to Congress for approval, he said, "If I were the president, I would like to have all the authority there is. If somebody else is president, I think they ought to go through Congress."

"Huckabee seemed more like he knew what he was doing, confident," Carroll Phillips, a Pleasantville Republican who is still actively farming at age 90, told the Register in an interview after the first four speakers. "But Jeb was second best."

"I think Jeb did a respectable job, too. Just maybe not quite not as personable, not as firm in his answers," said his son, Brian Phillips, a commercial real estate broker from Clive.

But at the end of the day, the Phillipses changed their minds and said Graham was the standout. "He was just as confident in his answers as Huckabee, and I liked his humor," the younger Phillips said. "The crowd just lit up when Graham was speaking."

Protests emphasize different agenda for ag

On most issues, the views from the stage aligned. Protesters shouted contrary views outside and in a counter event that emphasized local food production instead of what organizers called "factory farms."

Neil Hamilton, a Drake University agricultural law professor and active Democrat who attended the summit, said he didn't hear many surprises.

COUNTER EVENTS: Dems critique GOP Ag Summit intentions | CCI denounces Ag Summit at alternative event

"The comments have been pretty predictable — demonizing the EPA, and the Waters of the U.S. rule (a proposal to clarify what waters are governed by the Clean Water Act). There's been a lot of talk about trade, and some mixed talk about the RFS," he said.

"Most of the folks who got up bashed the president or the EPA," Hamilton said. "It's the red meat of a political rally."

Sponsors pony up donations

Rastetter had asked business leaders to help underwrite the event, and several did so.

A price list shared with the Register showed gold sponsorship level required a donation of $50,000. The event's website listed four sponsors at that level, including the Bruce Rastetter Foundation and Rastetter's company, the Summit Group.

Eight were $25,000 silver-level sponsors and six were bronze sponsors at $10,000, including from Denny Elwell, Michael Richards and Gary Kirke, three of the Republicans who accompanied Rastetter to New Jersey to try to recruit Christie into the 2012 presidential race.

That would total $460,000; Rastetter declined to confirm the amount.