I met with U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer today. Originally we were supposed to meet with the CEO’s of several members of the Grocery Manufacturers Association that have been launching a smear campaign against ethanol. It appears that all they want to do is give a thumbs up to their trade association’s hiring of expensive public relations firms to do their dirty work, since only one CEO offered to show up and one offered to send a vice-president.  I was not going to waste my time, or the Secretary’s time, if they don’t want to defend the policies of their Association.  So instead of talking about biofuels for the entire meeting,  Secretary Schafer and I also used the time to discuss possible ways the USDA can help the flooding victims in