Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum says the immigration system in the United States is not working.

Santorum spoke Saturday at a forum in Des Moines that focused on agricultural issues. It drew nearly a dozen Republicans considering a presidential campaign in 2016.

Santorum says the country must better secure the border and create legal programs for workers with different skills.

Santorum also is repeating his support for maintaining the amount of biofuels blended into gasoline.

A 2007 law increases the volume of renewables blended into transportation fuel to 36 billion gallons by 2022. The federal Environmental Protection Agency in 2013 proposed reducing the increase. Leaders in Iowa say that would hurt the state’s economy.

(AP)