Posted on 05/01/2008 2:14:41 PM PDT by PROCON
On the Spot. (CNSNews.com) - Senators Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) told Cybercast News Service on Wednesday that they believe there is a connection between federally mandated consumption of ethanol, a gasoline additive made from corn, and world food shortages.
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 mandates that increasing amounts of ethanol be used in the United States to dilute gasoline. The law called for 4 billion gallons of ethanol to be used in 2006, 6.1 billion gallons in 2009, and 7.5 billion gallons by 2012.
As the demand for corn has increased because of increased ethanol consumption, the Washington Post reported this week, the number of acres used to grow wheat in the U.S. has contracted, contributing to a shortage of wheat on the world market and an overall increase in world grain prices.
"I think very definitely there is a clear connection between our ethanol use and world hunger," Kennedy told Cybercast News Service . "The connection is becoming more evident and understood more every day by the American people. And they understand that there is very little that's being done to address the problem."
Lieberman, who chairs the Homeland Security Committee, told Cybercast News Service that he is going to hold a hearing on the topic on May 7. "I am very concerned about this issue," said Lieberman. "There are a lot of serious questions that have been raised."
When Cybercast News Service asked Lieberman if he thinks federal laws that mandate escalating domestic ethanol consumption ought to be repealed, he said such a solution ought to be considered.
"I think that that may need to be reflected as part of the solution to the problem," he said.
Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) expressed a different view.
"I don't see the link between hunger and our requirements that ethanol be mixed into our gasoline," Craig told Cybercast News Service . "We are still exporting food to the world. The world hunger movement is also tied to the environmental movement. Environmentalists have decided that ethanol is bad and so liberals are arguing that it's connected with food and therefore it is all bad. There has to be a balance."
"Ethanol today has brought the price of gas down by 20 cents," Craig said. "American consumers may be paying a little more for food but they are also paying a little less for gas because of ethanol in the market. It's a worthwhile trade. The market is a little distorted at the moment. Let's lower the subsidy on ethanol, and let the market stabilize, but our country is better off today because we are producing ethanol."
You might want to check wheat prices.
BTTT
So who are you, the Marketing guy?You're not the only plant on the block dude............
"Welcome to Great Lakes Ethanol
Great Lakes Ethanol, LLC (GLE) was organized as a Michigan limited liability company on May 29, 2003 for the purpose of developing, building, and operating a dry mill ethanol plant in southeastern Michigan. "Delivering high quality corn products and customer service from the Great Lakes Region"
Buffyt, where do you suppose Great Lakes Ethanol is getting its products? Certainly not Brazil.............
Why? What do you think they will tell me?
it comes from Brazil, which has always grown sugar cane for it’s own ethanol needs...as an energy independent country now, they can also export the raw material needed to make it here.
Congress doesn’t pay for their own gas so they won’t care until we the people make them care. I would bet that if the MSM took a poll of the number of people who wants domestic drilling for oil, clean coal use, more refineries and use of nuclear power it would easily be 75% for.
Most of the ethanol is used as E10 not as E85, much less than 25%. Besides you have to compare the energy produced not with gasoline but with MBTE and other clean air mandated additives.
Instead of 25% less mileage you are talking more like 3% less mileage so maybe it does work out to a net savings.
“Congress doesnt pay for their own gas so they wont care until we the people make them care. I would bet that if the MSM took a poll of the number of people who wants domestic drilling for oil, clean coal use, more refineries and use of nuclear power it would easily be 75% for.”
Maybe everyone should start calling congress until they act.
The price of wheat is well off its prior highs. In fact, most contracts are now at their low.
I think it would be too cool if some Senator or Rep proposed a bill for congress members to pay for their own gas. It would be very telling for the American people to see who would vote against that.
As the demand for corn has increased because of increased ethanol consumption, the Washington Post reported this week, the number of acres used to grow wheat in the U.S. has contracted, contributing to a shortage of wheat on the world market and an overall increase in world grain prices.
well, after hundreds of notables have publicly made the case, he finally gets the picture. Hallelujah!!!
And why is the price of commodities going up while the supply is increasing? If the World has a problem with the price of our corn then why are they buying more every year?
According to the USDA they planted about the same amount of Wheat acres last year as before.
http://www.cbot.com/cbot/pub/static/files/snd_cbt.pdf
“American consumers may be paying a little more for food but they are also paying a little less for gas because of ethanol in the market.”
Is this idiot delusional or WHAT?
Imagine that: another internet theory crushed.
Thanks for the data.
Plus, just how many of the cars currently on the road in America can actually USE ethanol anyway? I live in Northern California, and I have yet to see a pump dispensing ethanol in my state (I do not argue they don’t exist, but I travel a pretty hefty portion of major interstates, yet I’ve never, ever seen ethanol for sale).
In fact, one might say he takes an entirely different stance.
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