Thursday, July 9, 2009

Choose Ethanol Now

Choose Ethanol.comEthanol has long had a good story---clean burning, renewable energy, and made here in the USA.


But over the past few years, opponents have used misinformation, outdated information and relentless media pushes to confuse the debate.

So it's good to see that one of the ethanol industry giants---the Renewable Fuels Association, has a new website to help set the story straight.

The new site, ChooseEthanol.com, covers E85 ethanol fuel information, an ethanol news center and quick facts about the fuel and industry.

Site visitors can also sign up to stay informed about ethanol - a clean, renewable fuel made here the United States.

Posted by Editor at 7:05 AM 0 comments

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Monday, July 6, 2009

Al Franken Backs Ethanol

Minnesota Senator Al FrankenWith the disputed Minnesota senate seat finally decided, it's good to see that the incoming senator, Al Franken supports ethanol and renewable energy.


In this MN Post article, Franken shared his thoughts on the Climate Change bill and its strong ethanol components:
"What we're talking about here is the science of how ethanol affects our carbon footprint," Franken said. "The science to me tells me it helps. I've looked at this a lot, and it seems to me that ethanol already helps our carbon footprint and it's only getting more efficient in the way it's produced. Corn ethanol is a step on the way to cellulosic ethanol, which is also going to benefit Minnesota. I'm in the pro-ethanol camp."
The state of Minnesota has been a strong supporter of ethanol. This is not a new policy direction for Franken or for the state. On his campaign website, he states his support for renewable energy:
Today, I think we need a new “Apollo project” – this time to fundamentally change our energy policy and end our reliance on foreign oil.

The natural resources we have right here in Minnesota – not just corn and soybeans and biomass and wind, but innovation and creativity and brainpower – can lead to amazing breakthroughs if we commit to this undertaking.

This “Apollo project” should provide financial support for research into new forms of renewable energy and development of currently-identified sources to make them more efficient. Of course I’m talking about corn ethanol. But I’m also talking about cellulosic ethanol and other biofuels. I’m talking about solar power. And, especially here in Minnesota, I’m talking about wind power. We live in a windy state!
He goes on to write that through renewable energy, America can improve the environment, make the nation more secure and less dependent on foreign oil and also create high-tech, high-paying jobs in conservation and R&D.

Posted by Editor at 10:51 AM 0 comments

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Thursday, July 2, 2009

Never Been on a Farm. And it Shows.

Last month we told you about EPA bureaucrat Margo Oge who testified before Congress that "It takes 64 acres for corn ethanol and over 400 acres for a gallon of biodiesel.”

She seemed like she's never stepped foot on a farm but was confidently testifying before congress on how much corn it takes to make ethanol.

As a leading EPA official, specifically the Director of Transportation and Air Quality, you'd think she'd know a bit more about what she's testifying about before congress.

Apparently not.

Maybe the urban legislators took her claims as facts. But ag legislators and farmers know better.

With a corn yield average of 151 bushels per acre, and each bushel weighing 56 pounds, her claim that it takes 64 acres to make one gallon of ethanol is just ridiculously uninformed. 541,184 pounds of corn to make just one gallon of ethanol?

The truth is that it takes less than three bushels per gallon and there's still value in the many co-products left from the ethanol production process.

Maybe she doesn't know where farms are located in America? Maybe she thinks food just magically shows up in her kitchen? Maybe she's never met a real farmer?

Senator Charles Grassley Iowa ethanol farm EPA
So to help her and her colleagues out, Senator Charles Grassley (IA) has announced that he's invited EPA bureaucrats to a real working farm to help them get a better understanding of American agriculture:
EPA has recently gone into four regulations that would be very detrimental to agriculture. And this one woman bureaucrat that -- and it's not because she's says woman -- it could be a man, too - never been on a farm. And can you imagine that? Doing all these things to harm agriculture and never been on a farm?

So we're bringing these people to Iowa in September the 3rd to -- to see a family farm and to visit an ethanol plant and to look to see what we're doing in agriculture.

Now, maybe we won't change their mind, but at least they won't be doing everything out of ignorance.
It should be a real eye-opener to these many desk-bound administrators on what it takes to feed and fuel America and the world.

Check out the video of her testimony. Her wild claims start at the 1 minute mark.





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Posted by Editor at 1:58 PM 0 comments

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Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Record Corn Crop Planted

planted corn fieldNever underestimate the American farmer, despite the many obstacles they face.


From wet weather during planting season, higher input costs for seeds and fertilizer, rising land prices and a tight credit market, America's farmers faced a host of obstacles in getting their fields planted this spring.

But today's crop report from the USDA certainly proves the resiliance of American corn growers.

united States Department of Agriculture
Farmers planted 87 million corn acres in 2009, up 1 million acres from last year. This is the second-largest corn acreage in more than 60 years, behind 2007 and is up 1% from last year.

Despite wet weather in many growing areas, farmers reported that 97 percent of intended corn acreage was planted by early June, compared with the 10-year average of 98 percent.

And despite the naysayers who continue to argue against the capabilities of America's agriculture, America can grow both Food AND Fuel.

Source: USDA

Posted by Editor at 11:04 AM 0 comments

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Friday, June 26, 2009

Ethanol is Not to Blame for Increase in Food Prices

An informative new video that explains why ethanol is not to blame for the increase in food prices.



Also two other videos in this new series:

Posted by Editor at 8:45 AM 0 comments

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Thursday, June 25, 2009

Senate Finds Cause for Higher Food Prices

Senator Carl Levin

Did your pizza and PB&J sandwich really cost more because of ethanol?

No.

A US Senate subcommittee, the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations headed by Senator Carl Levin (D-MI), has released a report finding that market speculation led to rising commodity prices last year.

Despite Big Food's attempt to blame rising food costs on corn ethanol, this new report confirms the cause for the rapid increase in the price of wheat. Followers of the food and fuel issue will recall that Big Food and the media falsely blamed rising wheat prices on corn ethanol. Campbell Soup's CEO was one of the food leaders who made this wild claim that was widely reported. (Read our rebuttal HERE)

The new report found that commodity traders bought up more than 200,000 wheat contracts by mid-2008 that fueled the record jump in prices which caused the rapid food prices for consumers.

The report found that large wheat purchases on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) drove up futures prices, disrupted the normal relationship between futures prices and cash prices for wheat, and caused farmers, grain elevators, grain processors, consumers, and others to experience significant unwarranted costs and price risks.
"It is another case of speculative money overwhelming a market, and federal regulators failing to take the steps needed to protect the market," said Carl Levin, chairman of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.
Prices for most commodities soared to historic highs during the mid 2008. And the price of wheat soared to a high of $13.34 a bushel.
“The bottom line,” said Levin, “is that excessive speculation in commodity indexes has created losers throughout the wheat industry, from wheat farmers to grain elevators, grain merchants, grain processors, and grain users like bakeries and cereal companies. Those groups can’t manage their price risks through hedging, and are socked with unwarranted costs from higher margin calls and failed hedges. When those costs are passed onto consumers, the result is higher food prices.”
This report was issued earlier this week, and of course, has had little coverage by the media. But we didn't really expect to see much because it doesn't fuel the story they've already set in place.


Posted by Editor at 8:24 AM 0 comments

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Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Finding E85 Fuel Goes Mobile

mobile cell phone E85 ethanolFinding E85 fuel is easier with the new mobile fuel station finder from the Alternative Fuels & Advanced Vehicle Center.


Just visit http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/locator/m/station/ from your mobile phone to search for E85 Ethanol and other alternative fuel stations.

The Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center provides a wide range of information and resources to enable the use of alternative fuels.

This site joins the existing Near 85 site, http://www.neare85.com/ in providing locations to finding E85 ethanol fueling stations.

We also have a complete lists of site HERE for more resources on finding E85 stations.

Posted by Editor at 1:38 PM 0 comments

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