Thread: The Farmer’s Nightmare?

The Farmer’s Nightmare?

Published: August 10, 2007

Only a few years ago, ethanol was just a line in a farm-state politician’s stump speech — something that went down well with the locals but didn’t mean much to anyone else. Now, of course, ethanol is widely touted — and, within reason, rightly so — as an important part of America’s search for energy independence and greener fuels. One day, we may be using cellulosic ethanol, the kind derived from grasses. For now, the ethanol boom is all about corn. And the real question is whether that will finally kill American farming as we know it.

Farmers in the corn belt have watched the coming of the ethanol boom with an ill-concealed excitement. They’ve invested in small-town processing plants, and they’ve happily seen the price of corn fluctuate steadily upward. But land prices have also moved steadily upward. Land set aside for conservation is being put back into production. And a bidding war has broken out over acreage, a war that farmers are sure to lose to speculative investors.

In short, the ethanol boom is accelerating the inequity in the rural landscape. The high price of corn — and the prospect of continued huge demand — doesn’t benefit everyone equally. It gives bigger, richer farmers and outside investors the ability to outcompete their smaller neighbors. It cuts young farmers hoping to get a start out of the equation entirely. It reduces diversity in crops and in farm size.

For the past 75 years, America’s system of farm subsidies has unfortunately driven farming toward such concentration, and there’s no sign that the next farm bill will change that. [b]The difference this time is that American farming is poised on the brink of true industrialization, creating a landscape driven by energy production and what is now called “biorefining.â€

Wonder when the government is going to allow the taking of individual lands for the growth of corn?

Ethanol may be part of the solution. It isn't the only solution and to allow the oil companies to be the ones to develop this makes me think it isn't the best solution for America.

Originally Posted by nntrixie

Wonder when the government is going to allow the taking of individual lands for the growth of corn?

Ethanol may be part of the solution. It isn't the only solution and to allow the oil companies to be the ones to develop this makes me think it isn't the best solution for America.

NN, the sadest part about this is that corn based ethanol is not that profitable because only 20% of the corn can be used to make the fuel; whereas sugar cane based ethanol can use up to 90% of the plant to make fuel.

Ethanol will still have to be mixed with some tetra ethyl lead (gas) in order to remain stable. So from an environmental and economic perspective, what benefit will ethanol really give us? Not much.
We would still have to reply on foreign oil--which won't silence the man made global warming theory freaks-- and it wouldn't be long before we are importing corn.

I wish they'd focus more on the hydrogen factor.

There are non food plants that create better fuel, is more environmentally friendly and wont use food to do it. College students use it all the time....From what I have read it grows real well and is disease and bug resistant.