On Tuesday, in fulfillment of a recommendation of the Governor’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board, Governor Reynolds signed Executive Order 9 launching a task force to explore carbon sequestration and the opportunities it presents for further economic development in the state of Iowa. The Carbon Sequestration Task Force will be chaired by Governor Kim Reynolds. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig will serve as vice chair. The Executive Order can be found online here.
“Because of our existing supply chain and emphasis on renewable fuel infrastructure, Iowa is in a strong position to capitalize on the growing nationwide demand for a more carbon free economy,” said Gov. Reynolds. “Iowa is a recognized leader in renewable fuel and food production, and this is another opportunity to lead and be innovative, invest in Iowa agriculture, and facilitate new sources of revenue for our agriculture and energy sectors. I am proud to bring together an impressive team of stakeholders that will help formulate smart, commonsense policy recommendations on this issue ahead of the 2022 legislative session.”
“Iowa is a leader in both food production and conservation so we must also lead agriculture’s sustainability efforts,” said Secretary Naig. “The agriculture community is continuously seeking new technologies and solutions that allow us to balance food production, environmental stewardship and longevity. We’ve already proved that we can deliver science-based nutrient-reduction practices and low carbon solutions, like renewable fuels and cover crops, so we have a foundation to build on. I’m excited to work alongside some of Iowa’s leaders to identify strategies producers can use to build upon our current conservation efforts, create revenue streams, improve financial sustainability and grow our state’s economy.”
Joining Gov. Reynolds and Secretary Naig on the task force are key stakeholders representing industries and interests integral to the carbon sequestration supply chain in the state of Iowa:
Debi Durham, Executive Director of the Iowa Economic Development Authority and Iowa Finance Authority
Kayla Lyon, Director of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Scott Marler, Director of the Iowa Department of Transportation
Geri Huser, Chair of the Iowa Utilities Board
John Crespi, Director of the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, Iowa State University
Adam Kiel, Managing Director, Soil and Water Outcomes Fund
William Fehrman, President and CEO, Berkshire Hathaway Energy
John Larsen, Chair, President and CEO, Alliant Energy
Jill Sanchez, Manager of Sustainability and Investor Relations, John Deere
Sam Funk, Director of Agriculture Analytics and Research, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation
Bryan Sievers, Manager of AgriReNew, Sievers Family Farms
Kellie Blair, Farmer
Justin Kirchhoff, President, Summit Ag Investors
Sam Eathington, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Corteva Agriscience
Alison Taylor, Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer, ADM
Jill Zullo, Vice President of Bioindustrials, Cargill
Cynthia ‘CJ’ Warner, President and CEO, Renewable Energy Group
Nick Bowdish, President and CEO, Elite Octane
Craig Struve, CEO, SoilView
Steve Bruere, President, Peoples Company
The Iowa Economic Development Authority will also issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) to hire a consultant team to support the work of the Task Force. In addition, individuals interested in serving on an Agriculture or Energy Work Group to support the Task Force can find more information here: https://www.iowaeda.com/carbon-sequestration/.
