There's anxious buzz sweeping across corn country about an abrupt change in the Republican platform on corn ethanol that was adopted at the party's convention in St. Paul. 
 
Reversing its stance of 2004, the Republican platform opposes continuing federal subsidies for corn ethanol, something that is widely credited with giving the industry the financial foundation that has propelled it to rapid expansion. The platform supports Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain's position on ethanol and other subsidies (McCain voted against the 2007 Energy Bill and the 2008 Farm Bill because of the large subsidies and tax breaks contained in the legislation). 
 
"It's a little alarming that we as a Republican Party are taking that stance," said Brad Finstad of Comfry, Minn. "In corn country there will be some independence from the GOP on the issue," said the three-term Republican who is ranking minority member on the Minnesota House Agriculture Finance Division.

Finstad noted that McCain isn't necessarily against corn ethanol, but prefers "a free-market method" of financing.
 
"It will provoke some discussion, and that's good," Finstad said. 
 
Big topic at AgNite party
It certainly provoked discussion at the $1 million AgNite party, hosted by the Minnesota Agri-Growth Council, attended by some 5,000 delegates, farm leaders, and journalists at the GOP Convention. 
 
According to a report in the Progressive Farmer, published by DTN, there was plenty of grumbling from the Minnesota Corn Growers Association, the National Corn Growers, the National Renewable Fuels Association and other leaders of commodity and industry groups. 
 
DTN quoted Bruce Stockman, executive director of the Minnesota Corn Growers Association, as saying that "without incentives, renewable energy cannot compete against heavily subsidized oil."
 
"There will be some independence from the Republican Party on this issue," Finstad said. 
 
But it's something that Al Juhnke said the DFL will remind rural area voters about.

McCain opposed farm bill as well
Juhnke, a Willmar, Minn., DFLer and chairman of the House Agriculture Finance Division, said both he and DFL Rep. Collin Peterson, who chairs the House Agriculture Committee in Washington, tell rural voters that McCain not only opposes ethanol subsidies but also voted against the 2008 Farm Bill. 
 
Whether the McCain and Republican platform positions on ethanol will have a major political impact in Minnesota is questionable, given the state's lean toward Obama. 
 
However, the DTN report said it could have an important impact in toss-up states like Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Iowa.
 
DTN political correspondent Jerry Hagstrom (jerry.hagstrom@dtn.com) said: "Democratic candidates most often win when rural enthusiasm is low and the Republican winning percentage goes down in the rural areas of swing states ... that's how Bill Clinton captured the presidency in 1992 and 1996."

Correction: An earlier version of this story reported that the Minesota Corn Growers Association contributed $75,000 to Sen. John McCain's campaign. The association did not contribute to the McCain campaign, but rather contributed to the AgNite party during the GOP Convention that was hosted by the Minnesota Agri-Growth Council.