I know they can’t make it all into gas.But you guys
have got to understand farmers are tired of living
on the dole, and the corn, soybeans, etc can’t go
back to all being just people food. Their co-ops
will make ethanol, they will sell corn,carrots, apples, beets to hunters to feed the deer, soy chemicals
will be used in plastics, corn in plastic bags, and as long as they keep increasing output so that the bins
have corn, you have no legimate grip against them or ethanol The only legitimate grip is against speculators,
who only have to risk a small amount of their money
when they buy an option on farm products, which gives
them no restraint and they are going crazy driving up
the prices, because they have real low risk involved.
Congress can change investment rules which
would solve most of the inflated values. Ed Hubel
Some words from an expert who by the way
can type and punctuate.
Ethanol production does not reduce the amount of food available for human consumption. Ethanol is produced from field corn which is primarily fed to livestock and is undigestible by humans in its raw form. The ethanol production process produces not only fuel but valuable livestock feed products.
Every 56-pound bushel of corn used in the dry mill ethanol process yields 18 pounds of distillers grains, a good source of energy and protein for livestock and poultry. Similarly, a bushel of corn in the wet mill ethanol process creates 13.5 pounds of corn gluten feed and 2.6 pounds of high-protein corn gluten meal, as well as corn oil used in food processing.
Importantly, ethanol production utilizes only the starch portion of the corn kernel, which is abundant and of low value. While the starch is converted to ethanol, the protein, vitamins, minerals and fiber are sold as high-value livestock feed (distillers grains). Protein, which is left intact by the ethanol process, is a highly valued product in world food and feed markets. Aside from preserving the protein, a considerable portion of the corn’s original digestible energy is also preserved in the distillers grains.
Distillers grains have an average protein content (28 to 30%) that is typically at least three times higher than that of corn, making it a valuable ingredient in livestock and poultry diets. In 2006/07, more than 12 million metric tons of distillers grains were produced by ethanol biorefineries and fed to livestock and poultry. It is estimated that distillers grains displaced more than 500 million bushels of corn from feed rations last year, allowing that corn to be used in other markets.
It also is important to remember the amount of field corn actually used for human food is just a small fraction of the total corn supply. For example, cereal accounted for just over one percent of total corn use in 2005.
The overwhelming majority of U.S. corn, including exported corn, feeds livestock—not humans. There is a popular misconception that corn is exported from the U.S. to feed those in malnourished countries, and thus ethanol use will diminish exports to these countries. The truth is the majority of corn exports are used to feed livestock in developed countries. Importantly, the U.S. ethanol industry is helping to satisfy foreign demand for high-protein, high-energy feedstuffs by exporting more than 1 million metric tons of distillers grains to countries around the world in 2005.
Ed Hubel
I have no problem with crops used as fuel, as long as they are not subsidized. That is really the only problem I have with it. I also argue against those that claim crops are going to supply a majority of our fuel. That math does work.
you have no legimate grip against them or ethanol The only legitimate grip is against speculators
And the subsidies.
Congress can change investment rules which would solve most of the inflated values.
No, that would only drive 100% of the trading overseas to London, Tokyo, Singapore and Dubai. Oil is a global, fungible commodity. That would only move all of the trading out of any control.
Please recognize that the trading is not new. But the supply margin of petroleum became so tight that trading could take advantage of that. If congress actually wants to help the situation, they should open up more of our domestic areas for exploration and production.