Lately there have been several comments in the news media about ethanol mixed with gas. All refer to the high impact the use of corn (as the primary source of ethanol) is having on our food supply and cost of food.
A front page article in the July 22, 2012 Des Moines Register on E-15 also related other problems with E-15. It indicated the lack of compatibility with older vehicles, and with small engines, including current models being sold and other concerns.
The one sentence in the Des Moines Register which stood out to me was that 60 percent of the Iowa corn crop goes into ethanol.
That is a lot of food to feed this nation and the world.
Should we thank the Environmental Protection Agency and all of our congressional leaders for providing clean air to enjoy while slowly losing control of our food supply and the rising cost of food?
Kent Rees
Emily
Comments (9)
Add commentMost of that corn goes into
Most of that corn goes into livestock feed and comes out the other end of the process as animal fat.
With us rapidly barreling down on 8,000,000,000 people and rising we will soon be forced to eat less meat and more of the land devoted to producing livestock feed will be switched to producing human food.
That will be good for us and the climate that we depend on to produce our food.
But all of that is contingent on this massive drought that is wiping out most of our corn crop being temporary and not our new climate. If it repeats itself next year and the year after and the year after that we are going to see changes that most can't or want to imagine.
I'm concerned that we may have passed the tipping point already.
Two thirds
of the nations corn crop is used for livestock, that hardly leaves 60 per cent for ethanol.
It's 40%
Good point, Larry. I'm not sure where that 60% number came from, but if you read my recent editorial here, you will have seen the correct number of 40%. It might run a little higher in 2012 because the crop will come in well short of the expected record of 13 billion bushels, and ethanol use is mandated. We use about 5 billion bushels for ethanol.
sorry larry
but the feds have mandated in that 47% of the annual corn crop goes to ethanol-now with the drought the feds haven't reduced their % required so now the number is up to 52% of corn crop goes to ethanol-this is a bunch of crap--the food for us is much more important than the so called "wonderful" world of ethanol. they have other, newer products that can replace corn for fuel-get it changed now! corn is the basic staple of most food products for us and animals.
The ethanol requirement is
The ethanol requirement is destroying the grassland and habitat for many upland bird species. As more and more farmers are plowing ditch to ditch regardless of land quality. Corn prices are artificially high due to the ridiculous ethanol mandate.
Govt does not mandate % of corn crop
Govt mandates 10% of gasoline(not the corn crop) be ethanol, with certain exceptions because of the vapor pressure issue in certain areas. The result is that about 40%(not 47%, or 52%, or 60%) of the crop enters our gasoline supply.
If posters like Kong would just ask questions, he would get answers before speaking. Reminds me of some of our state legislators.
Rolf
%
The letter writer stated that 60% of "Iowa's" corn crop is used to produce ethanol, which may be the case. Like you say Rolf, 40% was used nationally in 2010. Could not find the 2011 percentage. This year who know's? Food prices are suffering partly because of ethanol, no denying that.
Rolf,
" Reminds me of some of our state legislators." I disagree, it reminds me of "most of our legislators" state and federal!!
Legislators
LLR: Amen