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Agriculture News As It Happens

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Iowa groups urge candidates to talk hunger, ethanol

As Democratic presidential hopefuls get ready for their first debate in Las Vegas tonight, groups in Iowa are calling for them and the Republican candidates to take positions on two very different issues important to agriculture: hunger and renewable fuels.

A coalition of nonprofit groups gathered in Iowa for the World Food Prize ceremonies and dialogues this week will announce today a new campaign, Vote to End Hunger.

“The campaign will mobilize grassroots supporters and influencers to urge 2016 presidential candidates to focus on ending hunger and poverty, and creating opportunity in the United States and across the world,” the groups said in a news release.

“Hunger is a significant but solvable problem, both in the United States and internationally, but it requires leadership and a commitment from our president and Congress,” the groups said.

“One out of every seven U.S. households — more than 48 million Americans — struggles to put food on the table. These numbers include 5.4 million seniors and 15 million children. Around the world, 795 million people experience hunger every day.”

Bishop Richard Pates of the Roman Catholic Church’s Des Moines Diocese, Feeding America Senior Vice President Lisa Davis and Bread for the World President David Beckmann will hold a news conference in Des Moines later today to announce the campaign.

Other organizations involved in the campaign are the Alliance to End Hunger, Meals on Wheels America, Results and Results Educational Fund and Share Our Strength, which sponsors the No Kid Hungry campaign.

Meanwhile, America’s Renewable Future, the Iowa-based group funded by the Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy and other groups to keep track of 2016 candidates’ positions on the Renewable Fuel Standard, is urging people to tweet about the “the importance of renewable fuels” during the debate.

America’s Renewable Future has published online all of the candidates’ positions on renewable fuels and is urging renewable fuels supporters to tweet three messages:

  • “72% of Iowa Dems support the #RFS and 100% of Dem presidential candidates support it too. GOP candidates, take note! #CNNdebate #RFSworks”
  • “The #RFS can help to keep America out of foreign conflicts, which is crucial for our country's national security. #CNNdebate #RFSworks”
  • “When candidates discuss the economy, they should make sure to include the #RFS, which has created 852,000 U.S. jobs. #RFSworks #CNNdebate”