“Not to mention that all that corn could be used to feed our stomachs rather than our cars”
The corn used to make ethanol is not the “sweet corn” you would normally eat at your supper table. It is raised for cattle feed for the most part.
On top of that almost none of the corn produced in the US could ever end up on the dinner table. Almost all of it is for sending to into some kind of processing to be turned into something else (ethanol or beef or corn starch or corn syrup…). Its simply not directly edible.
If what you say is true that the corn that is used to make ethanol is used for cattle feed, corn syrup… wouldn’t the increased supply of those products lead to a decrease in prices on the consumer end?
@sccubsfan I think the argument is that ethanol is requiring too much of the corn causing a shortage for other uses. True or not I can’t say.
"wouldn’t the increased supply of those products lead to a decrease in prices on the consumer end? "
Why would it do that? And decrease prices for what?
And what I said isn’t some armchair impression or opinion. It is what it is. Its not a secret. Look it up.
Right now ethanol production is using about 50% of the US corn crop, with byproducts of the ethanol production compensating for some of that, resulting in a net impact of about 30%. The mandated ethanol production is supposed to double, which would result in 100% of all corn going to ethanol production, 60% net.
Of course, those mandates were created on the assumption that cellulosic and other sources of ethanol would be contributing a major fraction of the volume TODAY. Those sources are at about 0, and will take MUCH longer to bring on stream than folks had hoped, so the regulations will have to change, no two ways about it.
Remember when it was just gas? My 95 Caprice,4.3L(265cubes)V8.It weighs 4,168lbs with jack, full sized spare, me, full tank of “MAY CONTAIN 10% ETHANOL” Gas. Yes, I went to a weigh station. I use Valvoline 5w30 organic oil. Got it 2008. I put in the spark plugs 4 yrs. ago. Have not cleaned them. 28-29 mpg!!! AC on or off. No head wind, level highway. Checked odometer every which way. Always same. I change fuel filter EVERY 6 MONTHS. Not a typo. Keep all filters clean! They are cheap & easy. Engines love clean air & clean food just like us.
Agreed, tex, we are way behind the ball on bringing other sources of ethanol into play!
Remember when it was just gas? My 95 Caprice,4.3L(265cubes)V8.It weighs 4,168lbs with jack, full sized spare, me, full tank of “MAY CONTAIN 10% ETHANOL” Gas. Yes, I went to a weigh station. I use Valvoline 5w30 organic oil. Got it 2008. I put in the spark plugs 4 yrs. ago. Have not cleaned them. 28-29 mpg!!! AC on or off. No head wind, level highway. Checked odometer every which way. Always same. I change fuel filter EVERY 6 MONTHS. Not a typo. Keep all filters clean! They are cheap & easy. Engines love clean air & clean food just like us.
Its better to make ethanol out of the corn,then just letting the rats eat it-Kevin
Why would it do that? And decrease prices for what?
If a rancher or cattle feed lot pays less for their feed doesn’t that drop the price that they need to make a profit which in turn lowers the the retail price of meat
@sccubsfan Livestock producers actually have seen sharply higher feed costs, fueled in part by
competing use demands for corn and soybeans.
Because if you would have seen the waste,you would understand,Uncle Sugar has been known to pay people to destroy thier crops to keep the price artifically high-besides Alcohol is a lot more benign then the infernal fluid.There is very little truly free market-Kevin
Personally I prefer my corn-based ethanol to be aged in new charred American white oak barrels for 8-10 years than in my gasoline. I have nothing against alternative fuels, but considering all the subsidies and social/environmental impacts of using what is essentially a food crop (or a basis for other food stuffs, such as meat) is unconscionable to me. Maybe that is a little strong, but I can’t think of anything better at the moment. I have to say that I do look forward to advances in cellulosic ethanol or other alternative fuels that are made from what is essentially waste.
Goodshepard, that’s what I mean, it’s still up to each individual supplier if they want too lower the price of their end product if the cost of in this case feed corn is lowered. As consumers we’re told that the rising cost of meat is due to the high cost of feed, so conversely if the price of feed is lower due to an increase in supply then the retail price should be lower.