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Turning Soybeans Into Diesel Fuel Is Costing Us Billions
NPR ^ | January 16, 2018 | Dan Charles

Posted on 01/17/2018 2:17:34 PM PST by Governor Dinwiddie

This year, trucks and other heavy-duty motors in America will burn some 3 billion gallons of diesel fuel that was made from soybean oil. They're doing it, though, not because it's cheaper or better, but because they're required to, by law.

The law is the Renewable Fuel Standard, or RFS. For some, especially Midwestern farmers, it's the key to creating clean energy from American soil and sun. For others — like many economists — it's a wasteful misuse of resources.

(Excerpt) Read more at npr.org ...


TOPICS: Agriculture; Business/Economy; Food
KEYWORDS: biodiesel; biofuels; ethanol; gasoline
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To: The Great RJ

“How many soybean farmers use bio diesel in their farm machinery? My bet next to none as bio diesel has a tendency to get during cold weather typical during harvest season.”

I live in the $9500.00 per acre corn and soybean center of this country. If I was three feet to my left I could see the lights of Moline Illinois, home of John Deere from my window, and you are correct.


41 posted on 01/17/2018 5:08:06 PM PST by CrazyIvan (Honk If You've Been Sexually Assaulted By Harvey Weinstein.)
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To: CrazyIvan

Bravo, FRiend !


42 posted on 01/17/2018 5:19:57 PM PST by tomkat
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To: IronJack

Allowing and mandating are not the same. Subsidizing and mandating together are not a free market


43 posted on 01/17/2018 5:58:50 PM PST by Figment
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To: Wonder Warthog

“Only a part of the whole bean or corn kernel is converted to fuel, the rest is perfectly consumable AS FOOD, either by humans or by livestock”

Then stop subsidizing it and mandating it. If the market supports it, it will survive on its’ merits


44 posted on 01/17/2018 6:02:09 PM PST by Figment
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To: all_mighty_dollar

If your food never ate another soybean in its life, it wouldn’t starve. Neither would you.


45 posted on 01/17/2018 7:17:08 PM PST by IronJack (A)
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To: Red Badger

We have a big surplus of corn and soybeans now.


46 posted on 01/17/2018 7:22:51 PM PST by HereInTheHeartland (I don't want better government; I want much less of it.)
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To: Figment
"Then stop subsidizing it and mandating it. If the market supports it, it will survive on its’ merits"

I am not a supporter of either subsidizing or mandating. My sole point in commenting is to point out that biofuel cultivation does not decrease available food grain, but increases it. To make such an argument is simply incorrect.

47 posted on 01/17/2018 7:23:59 PM PST by Wonder Warthog (The Hog of Steel and NRA Life Member)
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To: HereInTheHeartland

“We have a big surplus of corn and soybeans now.”

Wheat also. Russia has become the world’s largest exporter of wheat. At the end of the Soviet Union, the population had the option to privatize the collective farms. Seven percent did. This 7% now produces 40% of the Russian agriculture products. Venezuela, Zimbabwe and North Korea are now pretty much the only locations in the world not food self sustaining.


48 posted on 01/17/2018 7:35:43 PM PST by Western Phil
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To: Governor Dinwiddie

Downright stupid, wasteful and corporate welfare.


49 posted on 01/17/2018 7:46:47 PM PST by Sequoyah101 (It feels like we have exchanged our dreams for survival. We just have a few days that don't suck.)
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To: Western Phil

It’s incredible to see Russia exporting wheat after the many decades of imports.
South America has really ramped up food production as well.


50 posted on 01/17/2018 7:55:38 PM PST by HereInTheHeartland (I don't want better government; I want much less of it.)
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To: HereInTheHeartland

Then we need to eat more tofu and grits....................


51 posted on 01/18/2018 6:09:05 AM PST by Red Badger (Wanna surprise? Google your own name. Wanna have fun? Google your friends names......)
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To: IronJack
"Do you eat soybeans?"

I would bet everyone you know eats soybeans.

Unless you buy nothing but fruits and vegetables and unprocessed meats I guarantee you eat soybeans.

52 posted on 01/18/2018 6:12:41 AM PST by Mad Dawgg (If you're going to deny my 1st Amendment rights then I must proceed to the 2nd one...)
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To: Cold Heart

Well, if they used Hawaiian gov workers as a control group, I can see how they could come to that conclusion...............


53 posted on 01/18/2018 6:14:10 AM PST by Red Badger (Wanna surprise? Google your own name. Wanna have fun? Google your friends names......)
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To: Wonder Warthog

Biofuel cultivation without subsidies and mandates wouldn’t exist exist is my point


54 posted on 01/18/2018 4:41:41 PM PST by Figment
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To: Governor Dinwiddie

I talked to someone from the USAF who showed me a beaker of fuel made from grass.


55 posted on 01/18/2018 4:45:01 PM PST by combat_boots (God bless Israel and all who protect and defend her! Merry Christmas! In God We Trust!)
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To: Figment
"Biofuel cultivation without subsidies and mandates wouldn’t exist exist is my point"

I understood your point the first time. And your point is irrelevant to MY point, which is to correct the common error of saying that food-grain based biofuel decreases our overall food supply. It does not.

56 posted on 01/18/2018 6:49:54 PM PST by Wonder Warthog (The Hog of Steel and NRA Life Member)
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