DES MOINES, Iowa – On Tuesday, in fulfillment of a recommendation of the Governor’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board, Gov. Kim 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 Reynolds. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig will serve as vice chair.
“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,” Reynolds said in a released statement. “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,” Naig stated. “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.”
Additonal members of the task force are:
- 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.
Read the resolution below:
EO9 - Carbon Sequestration Task Force
