This weekend, KyCorn is participating for a third year in the American Ethanol – Ethanol Fueled with Pride Crappie Masters Kentucky /Tennessee Tournament at Kentucky and Barkley Lakes. KyCorn co-sponsors the event with Commonwealth Agri-Energy to address ethanol use in marine engines with the fishing public.
“The boating and sport fishing industry has long been a target of misinformation about E10 compatibility with marine engines, and while it’s a relatively small group of fuel users, they are very outspoken and passionate about their toys,” explained Adam Andrews, KyCorn Programs Director. “A respectful and truthful dialogue about how ethanol is perfectly safe is necessary for us to advance our priorities as ethanol blends become a more prominent fuel option. The Crappie Masters partnership has proved to be an excellent platform for such a discussion.”
Several media interviews and promotions are scheduled throughout the weekend. The newspaper in Paris, TN, tournament headquarters, published an editorial by CAE’s general manager Mick Henderson, where he shared the benefits of ethanol on the road and the water.
Commentary from Brian Sowers, Emcee of CrappierMasters and Host of CrappieMasters TV
As the voice of CrappieMasters and the host of CrappieMasters TV, I am ecstatic about the things we are doing to educate the truth of E10 in marine engines and promote its benefits to environmental health in our nation’s fisheries. As a farm kid from northwest Missouri corn country, myself, and a retired farm broadcaster of over 25 years, I can say I am personally invested in this message.
CrappieMasters is the sanctioning organization of the American Ethanol/Ethanol Fueled with Pride All American Tournament Trail. We use our multimedia resources to educate millions, nationally – clearing the air about ethanol is a strategic facet in every media activity. Our social media following includes over 117,000 Facebook followers, and tens of thousands within our Twitter reach. Each season, around 3 million will view one of the 26 episodes of CrappieMasters TV that airs on the Pursuit Channel; in each weekly episode there are least three ethanol-focused commercials. I explain how safe and beneficial E10 is in boat engines regularly on my simulcast radio show “In the Outdoors with Brian”. We have a magazine that goes to our thousands of members on a quarterly basis, and they receive an electronic newsletter monthly. Each spring, we publish 25,000 copies of our crappie guide and distribute them to bait shops, hotels and other venues around crappie country.
We do plenty of hand-to-hand combat messaging in addition to our multimedia strategy. I respond, on a daily basis, to erroneous claims in ads and editorials that are designed to confuse boat owners, usually for the purpose of selling an unneeded fuel additive or firing up a policy campaign. Both the American Ethanol angler team and the Ethanol Fueled with Pride team go directly into dealerships and service shops (many of whom sponsor our tournaments or host seminars) to be sure the mechanics understand the truth, and advise their customers in an accurate way on the effects of E10 in fuel.
We are engaged on a policy front for ethanol as well. I have testified to EPA on numerous occasions about E10 and boats during their RVO rulemaking – many times directly dispelling falsehoods of other panelists. I was also called for expert testimony to the US House Committee on Energy and Commerce to explain our point of view on ethanol in boats. We engage our grassroots for letter writing and federal comment submissions when appropriate, as well.
Personally, and on behalf of the CrappieMasters team, I appreciate and respect the responsibly that comes with our national partnership. It’s folded into everything that we do and say.