Veterans for Renewable Fuels (VRF) today sent a letter to Vice President-elect JD Vance, congratulating him on his election, making him aware that veterans make up 16 percent of the ethanol industry workforce and spotlighting industry policy priorities that support the goal of U.S. energy security. The letter also invites Vance, himself a Marine Corps vet, to visit an ethanol biorefinery.
“According to the Department of Energy … the ethanol workforce has a higher concentration of veterans than any other segment of the U.S. energy industry, and our veteran density is three times that of the national labor force,” wrote VRF Co-Chairs Jeff Oestmann and Tony Leiding, and Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper. VRF was created in 2023 to create a support network for our industry’s veterans and to recognize and celebrate the tremendous contributions they make in improving our national security through the production of American-made ethanol.
“We take enormous pride in the fact that we work in an industry that simultaneously improves America’s energy security, economic vitality, and environmental quality. In addition, the ethanol industry has created tens of thousands of good jobs in rural communities across the country, allowing us to share with our families the small-town way of life that is central to American values and our cultural identity.”
The letter also highlights policy priorities that will strengthen American energy security, including:
- Removing outdated regulatory barriers that prevent year-round consumer access to fuel containing higher levels of ethanol (like E15);
- Protecting the Renewable Fuel Standard; and
- Reconsidering electric vehicle policies that increase dependence on foreign minerals.
“Yes, our nation’s energy market is undeniably more secure, resilient, and diversified than it was 20 years ago—and that’s great news for American consumers,” the three military veterans write. “But there is plenty of room for further progress. Ethanol and other domestic renewable fuels hold the key to a safer and more secure American energy future.”
Click here to learn more about VRF and the enormous contribution our veterans make to the ethanol industry.
