Food vs Fuel
Government Protection
"Pork-Barrel Politics" - Governmental spending intended to benefit a politicians constituents in return for their support
Archer Daniels Midland Company, VeraSun, etc.; Hubert Humphrey, Bob Dole, Ron Kind, Etc.
Policy
Policies which promote eqaulity in access to healthy food, ag production practices that reduce reliance on fossil fuels, the improvement of soil & water quality/resources, and maintain fair local and global markets
Compatibility
Ethanol can be mixed up to any amount, up to pure ethanol, with gaoline for gas vehicles; burns cleaner (probably quicker too)
Biodiesel made for diesel engines; acts as a better lubricant and actually cleans out the gunk in the engine. owners must often replace fuel filters and other hoses
Sustainable?
Genetic enginiering of corn & soybean crops may enable their mass production but will wreak havoc on the ecosystem
Does pose an opportunity, if controlled or regulated to do so, for US food & energy systems to move toward sustainability
Does not SOLVE the discrepencies in Global commodity marketing nor does it provide a total solution to the depletion of non-renewable fossil fuels
This debate offers an opportunity to critically examine our food, farm, & trade systems
World Hunger
"Even without ethanol & biodiesel, we need to motivate farmers around the world to expand production and this can only be done through price incentives."
Price incentives for farmers producing FOOD
Fueling a 25 gallon tank of an SUV with pure ethanol requires over 450 pounds of corn - which contains enough calories to feed one person for a year
Existed long before the boom in biofuel/ethenol production
Simply modifyingor ending production system of biofuels will do little to address their underlying causes
hunger, poverty, global warming, foreign oil dependence, risky markets, overzealous/nervous Wall Street bidding, etc
Biofuel production in US not likely to result in more world hunger
It isn't a lack of food, but rather the inequality in the distribution of food that has spiraled out of control, leaving underdeveloped and poor countries out in the cold
Foot Riots
Inability to pay rising food costs
Food Security
Grains for livestock feed becoming more important as newly rich families are eating more meat, eggs, dairy etc
FOOD grains decrease as acreage for FEED grains rises
The price of feed for livestock and poultry rise as the growers are able to charge more (b/c the ethanol producers are subsidized and are making huge profits, enabling them to pay higher prices)
Corn & Soybean production goes up, while wheat rye and other food grains go down
(Bio)Fuel Mania
Prices are rising because many buyers (Wall Street) think they will
The higher oil prices go, the higher ethanol prices can go while remaining competitive - and the more ethanol producers can pay for corn
Other Alternatives
SOLAR, WIND, & HYDROPOWER, true renewable & sustainable energy sources which pose viable alternatives
Petroleum is not the only nonrenewable energy source we rely on heavily: coal & uranium
Reducing Dependence on Foreign Oil
Lead in gasoline replaced by ethanol in the 70s & 80s
2008 Farm Bill Calling for More Biofuel Production
US imports 70% of its oil
Governmental Incentives
Industry depends on taxpayer subsidies
Subsidies & Tax Breaks
The Rich Get Richer & The Poor Get Poorer
Combating Global Warming
Soybeans are nitrogen fixers; if corn surpasses soybean production, nitrogen will leach into soil
What energy & chemical inputs are used in ethanol/birfuel production?
More corn & soybeans in acreage means more pesticides, fertilizers, and herbicide application: often mismanaged
Corn & Soybeans are row crops; promoting soil depletion/erosion
Reduce dependence on petrolium based products
