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Report adds fire to criticism of corn-based ethanol

Tulsa World -- Opponents of federal mandates to use corn-based ethanol in automobiles are stepping up their criticism after an international report released Wednesday indicated that the renewable-fuel rules took an $11.6 billion toll on poorer, corn-importing nations over six years.

The study by Tufts University and anti-poverty group ActionAid argued that corn-based ethanol mandates by the U.S., European Union and other exporting countries was driving up food prices dramatically in the wake of drought and other inflationary pressures.

ActionAid wants developed nations to end the push for ethanol.

"Without decisive action on the part of these global actors to eliminate mandates and incentives that encourage the unsustainable production of industrial biofuels, the crisis will continue with no end ..

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Submitted Oct 11, 2012 By: BurntOrange

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07skydriver Champion Author Ohio Posts:3,379 Points:1,010,280 Joined:Feb 2009	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2012 8:16:30 PM Ignore 07skydriver Report Abuse Just another failed Bush era policy that should have never happened.
carbuilder Rookie Author Detroit Posts:86 Points:95,420 Joined:Jul 2007	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2012 7:15:40 PM Ignore carbuilder Report Abuse Will be glad to see ethanol gone.
drpepperTX Champion Author Texas Posts:9,159 Points:778,875 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2012 3:09:59 PM Ignore drpepperTX Report Abuse @ nsdp, try telling that to livestock producers (myself included), when the price of feed has soared from $233 per ton to $500 per ton. The COST of that distillers grain has increased over 100% due to these Eco-imperialist ethanol mandates. This cannot be denied.
bigt61 All-Star Author Virginia Posts:671 Points:205,445 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2012 2:29:12 PM Ignore bigt61 Report Abuse "Corn-based ethanol is not the way to energy independence," he said. "Taking into account the entire production cycle, more greenhouse gases are emitted with corn-based ethanol than the fossil fuels they are supposed to replace. Additionally, corn-based ethanol is produced using unsustainable agricultural practices that are extraordinarily destructive to the farmland." ============================== Those last two sentences alone should spell doom for ethanol. Will common sense ever prevail at the EPA?
SUPPER Champion Author San Bernardino Posts:2,568 Points:1,314,965 Joined:Dec 2004	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2012 9:19:28 AM Ignore SUPPER Report Abuse I had crone last knight for dinner no more pls
blupupher Champion Author Houston Posts:3,695 Points:775,745 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2012 7:42:43 AM Ignore blupupher Report Abuse corn based ethanol needs to go away.
EvergreenON Champion Author Ontario Posts:1,078 Points:511,085 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2012 6:39:38 AM Ignore EvergreenON Report Abuse Stop Ethanol production corn is for food purposes
dancygreen Champion Author Twin Cities Posts:2,188 Points:511,370 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2012 1:15:36 AM Ignore dancygreen Report Abuse YESYESYES, get rid of it!
MAC48 Champion Author Dallas Posts:1,580 Points:788,525 Joined:Dec 2006	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2012 12:42:41 AM Ignore MAC48 Report Abuse Another call to end the use of food crops to produce biofuels. Any one can see that the use of food crops and land capable of producing food crops to grow a crop that is used only to make biofuel is a gross misuse of the land. There are plenty of acres of marginal land not suited for food crops that can be used to produce feedstocks for biofuel production if not today then in the near future. We need to end the use of ethanol in our fuel supplies as soon as possible.
nsdp Champion Author San Antonio Posts:1,117 Points:47,990 Joined:Jun 2012	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2012 12:42:18 AM Ignore nsdp Report Abuse Burnt Orange when did you become one of the liberal elitists. I grew up on a dairy and know at least a little animal nutrition. The distillers grain which dairy and cattlemen buy from the ethanol plants has a nutritional value 1.3-1.5 times that of ground corn depending on the quality of the corn. So since distilling reduces the feeds weight by 29% due to improved digestibility and concentration of protein (carbs are used to make the alcohol) you get back 90+% of the nutritional value as far as cows are concerned due to better digestibility and you get less waste. So if ethanol is only about 1/3 of corn usage and you only lose 1/10th of the feed value ethanol only takes 1/30th (3-4%) of the corn that would otherwise be available for food. The BIG waster is high fructose corn syrup which is 12-15% of the crop with no significant cobenefits such as cattle feed of nutritional value. Switch grass would be great if the process worked some where other than in a lab test tube. Ethanol in Brazil is made from the waste stalk and leaves after the sugar is removed from the cane. In Hawaii they used to burn the stalks and leaves to generate electricity. No wonder the Chinese and Koreans and Japanese are killing us. They are better educated and don't read junk like this article. [Edited by: nsdp at 10/12/2012 12:43:57 AM EST]
sprocketsplines Champion Author Washington Posts:1,813 Points:888,060 Joined:Oct 2010	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2012 12:37:27 AM Ignore sprocketsplines Report Abuse Wondering if the EPA will respond to the Tufts University/ActionAid study.
rahcat Champion Author Grand Rapids Posts:2,681 Points:689,900 Joined:Jan 2010	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2012 12:13:51 AM Ignore rahcat Report Abuse Eat corn......don't burn corn.
QuagmireLA Champion Author Louisiana Posts:1,081 Points:161,230 Joined:Jun 2012	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2012 12:10:09 AM Ignore QuagmireLA Report Abuse Crude oil does prtty good for lubricating hinges and such. Also it will kill weeds. Other that that and fuel oil totally worthless stuff.
judgemobile Champion Author Ohio Posts:7,705 Points:2,472,635 Joined:Nov 2005	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2012 12:08:25 AM Ignore judgemobile Report Abuse I think I will just drop used corn cobs in my tank and wait for them to ferment.
QuagmireLA Champion Author Louisiana Posts:1,081 Points:161,230 Joined:Jun 2012	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2012 12:05:43 AM Ignore QuagmireLA Report Abuse Here's an idea. Supposedly switchgrass (a weed) makes great biofuel. We could plant that between interstate lanes and along both sides. Harvest it 3 or so times a year. When it runs out no more ethanol in gasoline till more grows.
BigKart All-Star Author Indianapolis Posts:841 Points:249,205 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2012 12:02:53 AM Ignore BigKart Report Abuse We'll turn our excess food into fuel. Let the middle east do something comparable with their crude oil. Good luck with that! Seems fair to me.
mabrams184 Champion Author Lexington Posts:2,176 Points:557,955 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2012 12:02:45 AM Ignore mabrams184 Report Abuse Food should stay as food and the land will be needed to grow food even more in the near future.
QuagmireLA Champion Author Louisiana Posts:1,081 Points:161,230 Joined:Jun 2012	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2012 12:01:36 AM Ignore QuagmireLA Report Abuse Hey Spanky: Have you seen the price of sugar lately? You don't wanna run that up anymore. About $3 for a 4 pound bag.
southrob Champion Author Tucson Posts:3,736 Points:714,900 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2012 12:00:48 AM Ignore southrob Report Abuse corn is for food
Is246 Champion Author Albuquerque Posts:1,044 Points:443,535 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Oct 11, 2012 11:58:24 PM Ignore Is246 Report Abuse We suspected this.
SpankyMI Champion Author Kalamazoo Posts:2,831 Points:784,615 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Oct 11, 2012 11:54:33 PM Ignore SpankyMI Report Abuse Try sugar cane, and leave the corn out of the formula.
QuagmireLA Champion Author Louisiana Posts:1,081 Points:161,230 Joined:Jun 2012	Message Posted: Oct 11, 2012 11:49:52 PM Ignore QuagmireLA Report Abuse wasting food to power cars while people starve, ought to be a crime against humanity. Let the dems chew on that one.
must87searcher Champion Author Maryland Posts:9,120 Points:1,807,360 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Oct 11, 2012 11:46:40 PM Ignore must87searcher Report Abuse Hope more can really understand the risks of the usage of ethanol, and come too their senses that is not meant for use for fuel resources for autos.
tidalwave3 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:1,367 Points:1,489,635 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Oct 11, 2012 11:43:48 PM Ignore tidalwave3 Report Abuse This is one of Bush's legacy that has to go :(
kmurphy345 Veteran Author Toronto Posts:457 Points:157,030 Joined:Oct 2010	Message Posted: Oct 11, 2012 11:43:29 PM Ignore kmurphy345 Report Abuse ok
Aviator_Rob Champion Author New York Posts:3,992 Points:440,815 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Oct 11, 2012 11:40:18 PM Ignore Aviator_Rob Report Abuse @nightshade00013 raises some good points but there is a need to leave some of our farmland fallow in order to recharge the soil. Agriculture is already very fertilizer intensive as it is. The land simply can't handle nonstop cultivation without the topsoil becoming depleted.
59glide All-Star Author New Haven Posts:872 Points:1,072,705 Joined:Apr 2006	Message Posted: Oct 11, 2012 11:39:55 PM Ignore 59glide Report Abuse No more Ethanol
mstearno Champion Author Dayton Posts:8,174 Points:1,755,920 Joined:Jan 2008	Message Posted: Oct 11, 2012 11:39:43 PM Ignore mstearno Report Abuse no food for fuel
monarch57 Champion Author British Columbia Posts:1,657 Points:138,790 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Oct 11, 2012 11:39:23 PM Ignore monarch57 Report Abuse Any excuse to raise prices.
suzmar Champion Author Texas Posts:2,223 Points:896,935 Joined:Jun 2006	Message Posted: Oct 11, 2012 11:39:12 PM Ignore suzmar Report Abuse Even though it is not cost efficient and drives up food prices and is not better for the environment, the ethanol lobby is too entrenched for there to be any changes made to our mandates.
QuagmireLA Champion Author Louisiana Posts:1,081 Points:161,230 Joined:Jun 2012	Message Posted: Oct 11, 2012 11:39:01 PM Ignore QuagmireLA Report Abuse If the Government really wants me to buy grain alcohol every time I fill up OK. I'll buy a gallon or 2 of ethanol for the price of regular gas, and I'll mix it with OJ and drink it myself. No point in trying to make it out to be saving the world.
Holly123 Champion Author Charlotte Posts:3,337 Points:817,685 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Oct 11, 2012 11:38:09 PM Ignore Holly123 Report Abuse Blah
Aviator_Rob Champion Author New York Posts:3,992 Points:440,815 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Oct 11, 2012 11:35:30 PM Ignore Aviator_Rob Report Abuse You can't teach a third world country to grow corn if they don't have any water, @enhedman. Most of the Third World is in dire straits due to climate change. Their countries are either getting drier, turning their farmland to desert or they're getting wetter, putting their crops under water.
pbear316 Champion Author Akron Posts:2,160 Points:704,390 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Oct 11, 2012 11:33:21 PM Ignore pbear316 Report Abuse Ok
Aviator_Rob Champion Author New York Posts:3,992 Points:440,815 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Oct 11, 2012 11:32:55 PM Ignore Aviator_Rob Report Abuse I think you might have missed the point, @Spirits. Third world countries buy the corn we export to them. If we don't export the corn because we're using it to make ethanol, third world countries go hungry.
Aviator_Rob Champion Author New York Posts:3,992 Points:440,815 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Oct 11, 2012 11:30:51 PM Ignore Aviator_Rob Report Abuse How is ethanol one of the President's pet projects, @BoerneWatch? Ethanol got pushed through Congress under George W. Bush's watch. Gotta keep those Iowa corn farmers happy, no matter the cost.
Jeeputtputt Champion Author Ohio Posts:3,002 Points:677,465 Joined:Aug 2009	Message Posted: Oct 11, 2012 11:30:44 PM Ignore Jeeputtputt Report Abuse no good..
Aviator_Rob Champion Author New York Posts:3,992 Points:440,815 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Oct 11, 2012 11:29:01 PM Ignore Aviator_Rob Report Abuse No, @mrselfdestruct, the corn lobby is starving poor people.
mrselfdestruct Champion Author Arkansas Posts:1,086 Points:184,840 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: Oct 11, 2012 11:25:43 PM Ignore mrselfdestruct Report Abuse Our benovalent government is starving poor people?
radiorumor Champion Author Texas Posts:2,951 Points:781,540 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: Oct 11, 2012 11:24:05 PM Ignore radiorumor Report Abuse Tired of corn
BoerneWatch Champion Author San Antonio Posts:15,687 Points:2,481,640 Joined:Oct 2005	Message Posted: Oct 11, 2012 11:23:20 PM Ignore BoerneWatch Report Abuse ActionAid is going against one of Obama's pet projects. I hope they get their way on this one.
PoohMcGoo Champion Author Alabama Posts:3,127 Points:823,185 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Oct 11, 2012 11:22:52 PM Ignore PoohMcGoo Report Abuse Kill ethanol.
g747 Champion Author Mobile Posts:4,682 Points:961,370 Joined:Jul 2009	Message Posted: Oct 11, 2012 11:21:31 PM Ignore g747 Report Abuse Those countries are subsidzed immensely to more than cover the costs!!!!!!!!!!.
gasgo123 Veteran Author South Carolina Posts:289 Points:1,794,915 Joined:May 2005	Message Posted: Oct 11, 2012 11:16:21 PM Ignore gasgo123 Report Abuse Ethanol is a waste of resources.
dabbadu Champion Author New York Posts:1,056 Points:682,005 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: Oct 11, 2012 11:10:32 PM Ignore dabbadu Report Abuse Will they never learn?
wayoung56 Champion Author Alabama Posts:2,920 Points:845,010 Joined:Oct 2006	Message Posted: Oct 11, 2012 11:09:46 PM Ignore wayoung56 Report Abuse Use something else to make ethanol if they continue to insist adding it to gasoline, there are other options that don't use a primary food product... Better yet, stop using it!!!
serrog Champion Author Nova Scotia Posts:5,705 Points:1,539,830 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Oct 11, 2012 11:09:34 PM Ignore serrog Report Abuse Eliminate it
tutaw Champion Author Kentucky Posts:3,759 Points:870,220 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Oct 11, 2012 11:09:23 PM Ignore tutaw Report Abuse ok
Drew316 All-Star Author New York Posts:514 Points:445,085 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Oct 11, 2012 11:08:32 PM Ignore Drew316 Report Abuse Get rid of ethanol!!!
bonzoonfmb Champion Author Florida Posts:1,817 Points:664,910 Joined:Feb 2010	Message Posted: Oct 11, 2012 11:07:10 PM Ignore bonzoonfmb Report Abuse Third world country problems?