The Meat Tax

IBD Editorials ^ | 13 April 2007 | Staff

[Kitten Festival]

Energy Policy: Those who want to end global warming and our reliance on foreign oil often propose a massive "carbon tax" to make crude less appealing. Don't look now, but you're already paying it.

By heavily subsidizing the use of ethanol, a fuel additive less efficient than gasoline and costlier to produce, Congress has, in effect, enacted a tax hike.

No, it's not the kind you see at the pump each time you fill up — like the current 18.4-cents-a-gallon federal levy on gasoline. Rather, it's the kind of tax you pay quietly, without even realizing it.

[Kitten Festival]

Democrats are meatheads. They already are responsible for all the high food prices we pay.

[the anti-liberal]

They're doing it for the poor!

Oh, wait, uh.. maybe not.

[tranzorZ]

I hope you are right. o.o’

[WorkingClassFilth]

One buck and five doe rabbits, kindled at the right time, will yield the same amount of meat that a steer will at slaughter over a year’s time.

Invest in rabbits and pork the left.

[oyez]

You think food prices are going up here, just check out China and India.

[ArtyFO]

There is one good thing that arises from the ethanol additions. It is the kick that is given to the farm economy. More acreages are planted, more tractors are sold, all grain prices rise, the farmer is making money. Rural banks are stimulated, land prices rise, the breadbasket and Chicago are on the rise. Red states perhaps will get well and the blue states will pay the high price.

[Nathan Zachary]

"Those who want to end global warming and our reliance on foreign oil often propose a massive "carbon tax" to make crude less appealing. Don't look now, but you're already paying it. By heavily subsidizing the use of ethanol, a fuel additive less efficient than gasoline and costlier to produce, Congress has, in effect, enacted a tax hike."

Are people complete idiots in this country? Do they thing BURNING ETHANOL produces any LESS CO2? It doesn't!!!! BURNING anything produces CO2, except pure hydrogen, which isn't actually burning.

[Nathan Zachary]

You are right of course, but American journalists, leftist hog farmers are too dim witted to realize that.

there will be a huge glut of corn byproduct resulting from increased ethanol production, which has to be used somewhere. What better than cheap low grade filler for feedstock and food processors.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

****There is one good thing that arises from the ethanol additions. It is the kick that is given to the farm economy. More acreages are planted, more tractors are sold, all grain prices rise, the farmer is making money***

However, cattle prices go down as feed is diverted to ethanol production. Farmers will plant MORE grain the next year and the byproducts of ethanol can be used as feed till production catches up with the supply.

One bad note, grain with murcury treated seed was used to make ethanol several years ago and the byproducts fed to cattle near here. Milk tested positive for HIGH murcury content and the herds had to be destroyed.
So not use treated seed for ethanol production.

[gotribe]

After you’ve strip corn of everything to make ethanol, what food byproduct is left?

[rottndog]

So does that mean we can now end Welfare for Farmers?

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

Healthy People 2010 and USDA ping.

[Wonder Warthog]

"After you’ve strip corn of everything to make ethanol, what food byproduct is left?"

Quite a bit, actually. The only thing removed by the fermentation process is the part of the carbohydrate fraction (usually sold today as "corn syrup" sweeteners, and added to all sorts of foods, including soft drinks). The protein fraction and the fat fraction (corn oil) remain as byproducts and are sold for various purposes. See "distillers grain" for one type of byproduct. This is normally sold as cattle food.

Even the old-timey moonshiners fed their "post-processed" grain to pigs (happiest hogs ever, I'm sure).

[gotribe]

Thanks for the education. Sounds like the distillers work magic - make some shine and still have food left.

[JoeFromSidney]

,i>One buck and five doe rabbits, kindled at the right time, will yield the same amount of meat that a steer will at slaughter over a year’s time.

I raised and butchered rabbits during WW II to put meat on the table while Dad was in the Navy. We had up to 200 at a time at the peak of our production. It can be done, but we lived in a rural area, and still had to depend on commercial rabbit feed. I'm not sure it makes sense on a large scale.

[WorkingClassFilth]

I’m not saying that. What I would predict is that folks would raise their own meat if the fascists insist on sticking their damn heads into affairs that don’t belong to them. Rabbits are cheap feed for the enterprising individual and more will catch on as things tighten up.

[Ole Okie]

After you’ve strip corn of everything to make ethanol, what food byproduct is left?

Cobs.

Red and white cobs.

White cobs for testing.

[mbiangel]

ETOH is BS! What food products are a byproduct of ETOH? The estimates I have seen say that 74% of the tillable farm land Has to be put in corn & oil seed to supply our energy needs. It will take a lot of gearing up to make up this drain.Besides if we use up all the corn, what will we make our tortillas out of. Besides who is going to be willing to take the 25-30% hit on fuel economy? Of course a decree will be issued by Ceaser Algoretus and force us. Distillers grain is a high protean SUPPLEMENT and not a complete feed. Also when have you ever known prices of agricultural foodstuff to go down. Just another tax on the poor by limousine liberals.
angel

[SunkenCiv]

[singing] Hitler was a vegetarian too...