Friday, August 31, 2007

Greg Poe Flies with Ethanol

Greg Poe is a world-famous stunt pilot who demands a lot from his airplanes. And his airplanes depend upon the high-performance of ethanol. Maybe that's why his slogan is "Ethanol Kicks Gas!". Poe is sponsored by Fagen, Inc., a designer and builder of ethanol plants.

Click HERE to view the video page directly (YouTube video posted by http://www.stevesairshow.com/ )

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Thursday, August 30, 2007

Don't Blame Ethanol for the Price of Food

In a recent opinion piece, dairy farmer and columnist John Ishler, of Spring Mills, PA writes from his perspective concerning recent media attention towards ethanol and food price increases.

Some of his key points in his essay include:
  • A number of recent news stories and radio talk shows have claimed that higher corn prices due to the demand for ethanol are causing higher food prices. These reports are usually vague about the specific connection and usually have few if any facts that higher corn prices have influenced consumer food prices.
  • Corn prices actually have dropped this summer. After rising to $4 per bushel last spring, they are now down to just over $3 a bushel.
  • Worldwide supply-and-demand economics have played a key role in increased food prices.
  • An early freeze that devastated fruits and vegetables, low supplies of wheat and the rising cost of energy all have factored into increased food prices. And much of the overall increase comes from foods that don't contain corn, including fish, fruits and vegetables.
  • Corn producers don't think there is a conflict between food and fuel. They think they can produce enough for both.
  • Feed prices also get blamed for increased milk prices in the store. But feed costs are not even part of the formula that determines the price of milk, so there is no way dairy farmers can pass on their costs to bottlers and consumers, like many businesses do.
  • Several trends that have raised the base price of milk paid to dairy farmers, including a long drought in Australia, a global supply shortage of milk powder and whey, a growing demand for milk powder in Asia and the rapid growth of cheese consumption in the United States.
  • Farmers make up less than 2 percent of the country's population and they are easy targets of blame for increased food costs. But here are some statistics on the farmer's share of the consumer's food dollar:
    • Bacon, 1 pound, retail $3.29; farmer's share 52 cents.
    • Sirloin steak, 1 pound, retail $7.99; farmer's share 94 cents.
    • Bread, 1-pound loaf, retail $2.49; farmer's share 10 cents.
    • Lettuce, 2-pound head, retail $1.79; farmer's share 28 cents.
    • Milk, 1 gallon, retail $3.79, farmer's share $1.42.
    • Cereal, 18-ounce box, retail $5.05; farmer's share 7 cents.
    • Potato chips, 13.5-ounce bag, retail $3.49; farmer's share 11 cents.
The retail prices are based on Safeway brand products. The complete study, conducted by the National Farmers Union on June 27, is available at www.nfu.org.

John also notes that every business owner knows that the cost of doing business in today's environment continues to escalate and that running a farm business is no different.

You can read the entire essay HERE.

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Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Renewable Fuels Helping to "Save the Bay"

Save the Bay Renewable Fuels BiodieselNarragansett Bay in Rhode Island is getting some environmental help from an unlikely source-- leftover restaurant grease and soybean oil.

Save The Bay is an organization whose mission is to ensure that the environmental quality of Narragansett Bay and its watershed is restored and protected from the harmful effects of human activity.

Among its many educational program, Save the Bay uses its 45-foot tour vessel, the Alletta Morris, to take students and other adventurers around the bay. This summer the Alletta Morris is running a little cleaner and a little greener these days because it began to transition to biodiesel, a renewable domestic fuel made from soybeans and recycled restaurant grease and regular diesel.

The vessel's captain, Eric Pfirrmann, says that it burns just like diesel. “And we’re running it without any adjustment or retrofitting of our engine. The message to boaters is that, in the near future, they will have this easy option to reduce dependence on foreign-produced oils from fossil fuels and help the environment. It’s a sweet deal, if you ask me.”

Perks of Using Biodiesel
  • No eye irritation and a more palatable odor to humans — sometimes compared to the smell of French fries!
  • Does not harm fish.
  • It’s biodegradable.
  • Made from renewable, domestically produced sources such as fats, oils and soybeans.
  • Therefore, it reduces our dependence on foreign oil.
  • It’s safer to store and handle.
  • Offers superior lubricating properties.
  • Because it’s oxygenated, engines using biodiesel have more complete combustion than with petroleum.
  • The B20 mix requires little or no engine modifications to replace or blend with petroleum diesel — this is true for boats as well as cars and trucks with diesel engines.
Source: Save the Bay photo courtesy of Save the Bay

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Tuesday, August 28, 2007

New Ethanol Plant Produces Both Food and Fuel

Lifeline Ethanol Plant Food vs Fuel EnergyNearly 1,000 people were in attendance last week as LifeLine Foods celebrated the opening of Missouri's newest ethanol plant in St. Joseph. Industry dignitaries as well as state and community leaders participated in the open house and ribbon cutting at the new site.

The ethanol plant joins LifeLine Foods' corn processing facility, established in 2001 by a group of corn farmers looking for ways to add value to their product. "We are very, very excited, and so are the ICM engineers. It is what we'd call a new generation facility," said LifeLine Foods President and CEO Bill Becker.

This new generation ethanol facility features a mill in the front of the plant that separates the corn kernel into its component parts. This technique enables increased utilization of the starch within the kernel. The resulting higher quality starches will be used for food customers whereas the lower quality starches will be used to produce ethanol. This process helps ensure the availability of corn for both food and fuel needs.

Source: Missouri Corn Growers Association

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Monday, August 27, 2007

1933 Replica Ethanol Station Coming to Nebraska State Fair

Ethanol station 1933 Food vs Fuel Ethanol EnergyA replica of the nation’s first corn-ethanol blended gas station will be on display during the upcoming Nebraska State Fair, August 24 through September 3.

The exhibit was created based on a 1933 photograph of the Earl Coryell Co. filling station that was located in downtown Lincoln. The Coryell station was the first gas station in the U.S. to sell gasoline blended with corn alcohol which we now know as ethanol.

Visitors will learn more about the long history of corn-ethanol. Only in the last 20 years has ethanol really been able to gain a foothold as an accepted alternative fuel. The replica filling station will be a fun and educational way to learn more about the history of ethanol.

Source: Nebraska Corn Board

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Sunday, August 26, 2007

AP Finally Gets an Ethanol Story Right

DDG DDGS Dried Distillers Grains Food vs Fuel Ethanol EnergyAfter repeating the mantra over and over that corn for ethanol takes corn away from the food supply, it's interesting to note today's AP Centerpiece: "Byproduct helps ranchers near ethanol plants"

In it, AP reports that "dairy farmers and beef ranchers are finding advantages to being close to an ethanol plant" and "can save money by buying wet distillers grains." And just what is this new secret that AP has finally learned?

The secret is of course is Dried Distillers Grains (DDG), an important coproduct from the corn ethanol process that returns the unused parts of corn such as the fats, proteins and minerals into a highly desired fed that cattlemen and the livestock industry can use to feed their animals. Of course, if AP had checked here on foodandfuelamerica.com, they would have already known this.

The story also includes a quote from a cattleman who says that he is increasing his usage because dried distillers grains are working so well.

Now if the media would dig just a little deeper, they'd learn a whole lot more about how renewable fuels are part of the solution and not just repeat the talking points of the doomsayers.

Source: AP

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New Michigan Group Promotes Ethanol

A new group has formed to support the use and production of ethanol in Michigan. The new nonprofit group, M55b.org, wants to create more support for ethanol in the state. The group gets its name from the its goal of $55 billion dollars worth of economic value from ethanol in Michigan over 10 years.

According to a recent news article one of the site's founders was at first an ethanol skeptic:
One of the founders is local Realtor Tom Darger, who at first didn't buy into the ethanol craze. "I was one of those guys back in 2000 who thought ethanol was part of the big corn lobby," Darger said. "But I started reading some of the info on it, and now I'm flipped over and think ethanol is very viable and seems to make a lot of sense for Michigan."
The group's website www.m55b.com has information on flex fuel vehicles (FFV), ethanol stations in the state and other tips on how consumers can support ethanol in Michigan.

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Saturday, August 25, 2007

Heard on the Street: Ethanol Blender Pumps

alternative fuels ethanol food fuelWith all of the hyperbole regarding alternative fuels and "talking head" experts on TV telling why America needs to stay dependent upon foreign oil, sometimes its worth getting out on the street and learning more first hand.

In this "on the street" video for his Fields to Fuel radio show, Dr. Jeff Zeiger with the Alternative Fuels Institute interviews Gary French of Watertown, SD, regarding his Ethanol Blender Pumps.



If the video does not play correctly, click HERE to go directly to the video page.

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Source: Alternative Fuels Institute

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North Dakota Corn Growers Speak Out on Food vs Fuel

Corn growers in North Dakota are speaking out about the anti-ethanol campaign blaming corn for higher food prices.

The executive director of the North Dakota Corn Growers Association and Utilization Council, Tom Lilja, points out in the recent news story that inflation is the culprit for higher food prices that use corn as an ingredient and not increased ethanol production.
“We don’t know where this food (cost comparison) effort is coming from,” Lilja said. “Essentially, food prices have risen with inflation. It disproves the anti-ethanol campaign. It’s an insignificant price increase.”
Lilja points out that the 25-year average annual food inflation is 2.9 percent, which remains consistently about average. The aggregate increase for all the above-mentioned items in a year is 5.5 percent. However, June 2007 prices are only 3.4 percent higher than June 2005 prices.
“They’re trying to blame corn and really, it should be the price of crude oil,” Lilja said. “That’s increasing the price of everything.”
In a similar effort, the North Dakota Agriculture Commissions, Roger Johnson, also recently spoke out about the issue with a public essay, "Naysayers Are Wrong About Ethanol". In it, he notes:
The principal reason for the rising cost of food was and is $70-a-barrel oil, much of it imported. It is the increased cost of petroleum, not corn, that is driving up the cost of the average grocery bill food to the tune of $10 per week.

In the meantime, ethanol offers us the opportunity to produce and consume more of our own energy. Ethanol is not the entire solution to America’s energy crisis, but is certainly a part of that solution.
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Friday, August 24, 2007

How The Price Of Corn Affects Food And Feed

This week Cattle Network.com ran an interview with economist Terry Francl regarding the price of corn and how it might affect food prices. Reporter Chuck Jolley conducted the interview and wrote the article:
Jolley: What effect does doubling the price of corn have on foods and what are some of the other factors and their effects?

Francl: The basic assumption that a change in the price of an ingredient will immediately affect the price of a processed product is not one that is born out in either economic theory or in the real world. There are two separate demand curves, one for the ingredient and one for the final or processed product. Just because the ingredient supply/demand conditions change does not mean the supply/demand conditions for the process product have changed and vice versa.

The interview was rather detailed but the key points were made that the recent higher corn prices (which have actually come down from their short-term highs) were not to blame for recent food increases. We were surprised that cattlenetwork ran this report given the rhetoric concerning corn prices and fierce opposition that some in the livestock industry have shown towards renewable fuels such as ethanol. Read the entire interview HERE.

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Thursday, August 23, 2007

In the Fast Lane with America's Heartland

America's Heartland, a highly successful TV show shown on PBS stations across the country, is starting its third season. The series is a magazine-style, half-hour series that focuses on America's agriculture.

A recent show discusses alternative fuels, specifically ethanol made from corn. Topics included how it's made and used, including in high-performance race cars.

Watch America's Heartland HERE. Read more about the episode HERE and to discover when the show airs on your local PBS station, check HERE.

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Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Using More Ethanol Doesn't Hurt Food Prices

Recently the Detroit News ran an editorial discussing the important role for Michigan in alternative energy like ethanol. Unfortunately, it also failed to correct the myths concerning ethanol and food price increases.

In response, the Clean Fuels Development Coalition sent this Letter to the Editor:
While The Detroit News should be applauded for its forward-looking editorial on the virtues of homegrown, renewable fuels ("Michigan must lead on alternative fuels," Aug. 5), it also missed an opportunity to correct a wildly exaggerated myth that ethanol has caused some food prices to double or triple.

We couldn't agree more with the editorial's theme that ethanol has provided tremendous benefits. From a significant reduction in greenhouse gases to the decreased reliance on foreign oil; from the estimated creation of 147,000 jobs to the economic income from additional tax revenues; it is without debate that ethanol has ushered in a new era of fuel economy and efficiency for all Americans.

However, contrary to the misinformation, the pursuit of expanded ethanol production does not greatly impact retail food prices. This latest myth is likely promulgated by special interest groups with specific agendas.

In fact, a recent study done by independent economist John Urbanchuk found that oil and gasoline prices have twice the impact on consumer food prices that corn prices have. Furthermore, the U.S. Department of Agriculture projects overall food prices will increase 1.9 percent in 2007 and 2.8 percent in 2008.

This compares with food price increases of 2.4 percent in both 2005 and 2006, and an average of 2.9 percent in the past 25 years. It is also interesting to note that corn prices have been down more than $1 since the beginning of this year.

The News is right on when it said America must lead on alternative fuels. We can accomplish this through sensible policies that will both feed and fuel our country.

Douglas A. Durante
Director
Clean Fuels Development Coalition
Washington, D.C.
Learn more about the Clean Fuels Development Coalition HERE.

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Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Autoline Detroit Examines Ethanol

Autoline Detroit Ethanol E85 E10 Food vs Fuel Food versus Fuel Detroit High performance engineAutoline Detroit, the longest running weekly broadcast dedicated solely to discussing and dissecting the inner workings of the auto industry, has an informative show available online concerning the merits of ethanol.

The show's host, award winning journalist John McElroy, examines the promise of energy alternatives which at times he describes as seemingly fictional as the Land of Oz.

In this episode of the show, McElroy visits an ethanol refinery and also talks with Mary Beth Stanek, the Director of General Motors' Environment, Energy & Safety Policy and Professor Bruce Dale, one of the foremost academic experts in the ethanol arena, and Jim Zook, the plant manager for U.S. Bio Woodbury.

The experts discuss the merits of "net energy", "food and fuel", cellulosic ethanol, dried distillers grains and the benefits of using ethanol over gasoline. Watch the show video HERE.

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Monday, August 20, 2007

Taiwanese Buyers Exploring U.S. Dried Distiller Grains

Taiwan is a major importer of American corn and other agricultural products. So it's worthwhile to note that a trade delegation was recently here in the US to learn more about dried distiller grains (DDGs)---a co-product from the ethanol production process that retains the nutritious fats, minerals and proteins found in corn. According to the US Grains Council this month:
Seven industry leaders representing Taiwan’s poultry and swine sectors are learning about the quality U.S. distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) by following the production and export channel from corn in the field to the ethanol plant to the export container. Taiwan has imported 67,037 tons of U.S. DDGS during the first six months of the year, a 63 percent increase compared to the same period in 2006.

Through team visits like this, the Grains Council is educating Taiwan’s new generation of agricultural leaders on the advantages of U.S. corn and DDGS to help maintain the United States’ position as Taiwan’ largest corn supplier.

Source: US Grains Council (.pdf)

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Sunday, August 19, 2007

US Ag Secty Defends Corn Ethanol

In a speech last month to the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., U.S. Ag Secretary Mike Johanns was asked "Corn-based ethanol may help the nation reduce its dependence on foreign oil, but critics say that ethanol costs almost as much as the energy it produces. Isn't corn-based ethanol a wasteful way to produce energy, and won't it increase the cost of food?"

His answer: "No and it isn't."

Johanns said that historically food prices will go up two to three percent each year based on inflationary pressures. Some years that hike may be a little more and in others a little less. This year the USDA expects food prices to rise from two to four percent, which Johanns termed “about average, maybe a little higher.” But those who claim the increase is due to ethanol and because the price of corn got high aren't looking at the whole picture.

“They leave out a whole big piece of the analysis ... the farmer doesn't get all of that. I'm sure they wish they did,” Johanns said. “But they actually get about 20 cents of the retail dollar. Actually the price of energy to ship that food can have as much or more of a profound impact on the price of that food than the corn you feed to the animal.”

Johanns further explained that the food chain is a complicated supply chain. “And if you have reached the conclusion that because food is up three percent this year, or four or two or whatever it is, and because it's because of ethanol...you're not telling the full story. And you are not telling an accurate story, in all due respect.”

Source: USDA

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Saturday, August 18, 2007

Colorado Corn Growers Address Food Prices

Colorado corn growers are taking a proactive approach to let consumers know that despite what they hear from the media, food cost increases are not being driven by higher corn prices.

In an event held this week, farmers discussed the cost of food and the increased demand for ethanol.
"The national media would have you believe the increased demand for corn… is responsible for increases in everything from apples to zucchini," said Mark Sponsler, executive director of the Colorado Corn Growers Association. "The real impact of the corn for fuel industry is much less significant than some would have you believe."
Sponsler noted that food produced with corn have seen increases that amount to pennies. However, they do not think it is solely due to ethanol production.

In addition, Sponsor shared that the media ignores the impact of petroleum and higher energy costs on production, marketing and the fact that labor account for more than sixty percent of every dollar spent at the grocery store.

Corn growers were not alone in noting that corn is getting a bad rap. A spokesman with the Colorado Farm Bureau Federation suggested that reports of corn increasing the cost of other groceries comes from oil companies who want to make E-85 fuel look bad.
"Make no mistake about it," said Troy Bredenkamp with the Colorado Farm Bureau Federation. "There's an organized campaign going on by special interest groups that will be harmed if renewables take a part of their market share."
Two Denver television stations aired reports on the event. Click HERE for NBC Channel 9 and HERE for CBS Channel 4

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Friday, August 17, 2007

John Edwards Outlines Biofuels Plan

John Edwards Food vs. Fuel Ethanol EnergyAlthough FoodandFuelAmerica.com does not endorse any candidate for any office, as we find interesting statements from candidates supporting or opposing renewable energy, we'll try to get something posted.*

Today US Presidential candidate John Edwards (D) released his plans for biofuels. Convenient that he was in Iowa!
  • Give Kids a Biofuel Ride to School: Today, Edwards announced a new Biofuel Buses program to help school districts replace conventional diesel with cleaner-burning biodiesel blends in 100,000 school buses nationwide. Biodiesel reduces bus-riding children’s exposure to cancer and asthma-causing emissions.
  • Boost Biofuel Production: Edwards will invest in public-private research partnerships to develop ways to maximize America’s biofuel ouput while minimizing pollution, soil erosion, and water, land and energy use.
  • Build Out the Biofuels Infrastructure: Edwards will require oil companies to install biofuel pumps at 25 percent of their gas stations and require all new cars sold after 2010 to be “flex fuel” cars running on either gasoline or biofuel.
  • Make American Cars and Trucks Virtually Petroleum-Free: Edwards believes that American automakers have the ingenuity to lead the world in building the clean, safe, economical cars of the future. He will provide $1 billion a year to help U.S. automakers advance and apply the latest technology, including biofuels, hybrid and electric cars, hydrogen fuel cells, ultra-light materials, and drive train improvements.
  • Raise Fuel Economy Standards: Edwards believes that everyone should be able to drive the car, truck or SUV of their choice and still enjoy high fuel economy. American cars and trucks are less efficient than they were two decades ago, despite the corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards. Edwards will raise standards to 40 miles per gallon by 2016, a step that could single-handedly reduce oil demand by 4 million barrels per day.
Source: John Edwards for President

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*just a reminder, we do not and will not support any candidate. Our goal is only to highlight public positions taken by candidates regarding renewable energy. Today is Edwards but we're sure more will follow.

Ford Delivers with Ethanol-fueled Hybrids

Ford Motor Company delivered four ethanol-fueled hybrids to the State of Missouri and Kansas City Power & Light this week. These four are part of 20 to be delivered to fleet customers in six states.

The use of the vehicles will help expand Missouri's use of alternative energy.

The Ford E85 Escape Hybrid is the world's first hybrid vehicle capable of operating on blends of fuel containing as much as 85 percent ethanol-- a renewable fuel that can be produced from American-grown corn.

"My administration has and will continue to strongly encourage the use of these environmentally-friendly technologies,” said Gov. Matt Blunt. “The use of renewable fuels improves our environment and the air we breathe. With old-fashioned American ingenuity, like that displayed by the Ford Motor Company, we can become more energy independent.

Our state is doing our part to look for alternative fuels to help lessen America’s dependence on foreign oil. The more clean-burning, renewable fuel Missouri produces and uses, the better off we will all be in the long-term."

The E85 Escape Hybrid produces about 25 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than a gasoline-fueled Escape Hybrid. It also runs on a renewable fuel, which can help reduce this nation's dependence on imported oil.

Source: Ford

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Thursday, August 16, 2007

Jay Leno Demystifies Ethanol

Jay Leno E85 Ethanol Food vs Fuel"Tonight Show" host Jay Leno, a noted car and motorcycle collector and enthusiast, has a new video out on his website, Jay Leno's Garage, that demystifies ethanol.

Jay interviews engineer Gale Banks who refers to E85 as "the biggest performance fuel bargain ever on the planet."

Jay learns that E85 is a high-performance alternative fuel that's good for the environment and for motorists. Check Out Jay's video HERE.

Jay Leno E85 Ethanol Food vs Fuel









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Finding E85

As the number of Flex Fuel Vehicles and E85 supplies increase, finding stations that sell E85 becomes more important.

Check out our list of Alternative Fuel Locations HERE.



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Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Ethanol Produced from Corn Cobs

POET, the largest dry-mill ethanol producer, recently announced that they have produced cellulosic ethanol from corn cobs. The company announced the results of successful testing along with their intentions to make cobs and corn fiber the feedstock for their commercial cellulosic ethanol production facility.

The company said that for a host of reasons they are focusing on corn fiber and cobs as the first cellulosic feedstock for their production facilities. They also stated that the corn cob has several advantages from an ethanol production perspective. According to POET, "The cob has more carbohydrate content than the rest of the corn plant, giving us the ability to create more ethanol from the cob". "In addition, the cob has higher bulk density than the other parts of the corn stalk, so it is easier to transport from the field to the facility."

Source: POET

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Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Root for Ethanol Today - ACE's Letter to the Editor Campaign

The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) has started a new "Root for Ethanol" Letter to the Editor campaign.

According to ACE, "ethanol's supporters must not be silent as ethanol's opponents are hitting the pavement to stop our progress. Now is the time to spread the good word about ethanol and its benefits!

During the month of August, ACE challenges all ethanol supporters to write a letter to the editor of their local paper. Please help shape public opinion by sending a letter to the editor of your local paper. It's time for grassroots ethanol supporters to take action and correct the latest misinformation hitting the streets. By rooting together, for the same cause and with the same facts, we can spread our message far and wide.

Writing a letter to the editor can help shape public opinion. Please help turn the tide of the negative ethanol coverage by letting your voice be heard!"

Click THIS LINK to get started at ACE's Root for Ethanol page.

Sample Letter from ACE's Legislative Action Center:
The anti-ethanol chorus is growing louder, those conveniently blaming all the world's problems on ethanol. The latest argument of ethanol driving up food prices sounds alarming, until you look at the facts. Sure, corn prices do factor in to some foods, but to find the real culprit in the grocery store aisle you should look at energy costs. High crude oil prices translate into high fuel costs, not only at the pump, but also in the consumer goods that are dependent upon energy for processing, packaging, and transportation. Corn is only a tiny fraction of the overall food-price picture.

With Big Oil cheering them on, food companies are loudly bemoaning higher corn prices and demanding a halt to more ethanol. Well, corn prices have dropped significantly since the USDA announced this year's large corn crop. If food prices went up because of higher corn prices, have lower corn prices brought them back down? If not, we may have just identified more evidence that this "food vs. fuel" debate has been manufactured without all the facts in hand -- or worse yet, created for the purpose of profit.
Source: American Coalition for Ethanol

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Monday, August 13, 2007

Indiana State Fair 2007: Year of Corn

The Great Indiana State Fair has kicked off and its theme for 2007 is "Year of Corn". The fair runs until August 19th. The first Indiana State Fair was held in 1852 in what is now Military Park in downtown Indianapolis. Indiana became the sixth state to begin holding a state agricultural fair.

Some fun facts concerning Indiana's top crop:
  • #1 crop in Indiana and in the world; Indiana #5 in nation for corn production.
  • The World's Food - Americans consume 17 billion quarts of popped popcorn annually or 54 quarts per man, woman and child.
  • Each year, a single U.S. farmer provides food and fiber for 129 people - 97 in the U.S. and 32 overseas.
  • One tiny seed can produce between 8000 - 1000 new plants.
  • In the U.S., corn production measures more than two times that of any other crop.
  • There are over 3,500 uses for corn.
  • Seventy-five percent of all grocery items contain corn in some processed form.
  • One bushel of corn sweetens more than 400 cans of soda.
  • The average American consumes nearly two bushels of corn annually in the form of corn sweeteners.
  • Corn as a renewable resource can be beneficial in making products such as ethanol fuel, ethanol windshield washer fluid, CMA (calcium magnesium acetate) road de-icer and other degradable products made from corn starch.
  • Corn is the main ingredient in most dry pet food.
  • Corn is beneficial to the environment as it absorbs carbon dioxide and gives off oxygen (just like a rainforest).
  • Corn is grown on every continent except Antarctica.
  • Exports are critical to the well being of American agriculture. Nearly one third of our nation's corn crop is targeted for exports.
  • A pound of corn consists of approximately 1,300 kernels.
Source: Indiana State Fair

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Sunday, August 12, 2007

New Report Explains Corn, Ethanol and Food Price Increases

A new study by the Center for Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD) at Iowa State University asks, "Do Biofuels Mean Inexpensive Food Is a Thing of the Past?"

The results are informative, especially:
  • In the United States, consumers spend a relatively small amount of their disposable incomes on food....this share in the United States has fallen from 20 percent in the early 1950s to about 10 percent today
  • Across all food consumed, 30 percent higher corn prices increase all average food prices by 1.1 percent.
  • With agriculture being asked to supply an increasing share of U.S. fuel, it follows that food prices will trend upward. For most Americans, though, the higher prices caused by ethanol will hardly be noticeable.

The study also looks at the recent rise in dairy prices and confirms the other factors driving them higher:

The CARD assessment of modest effects on food prices of increased corn prices seems to run counter to what is happening in the supermarket. Milk prices are at an all-time high, while meat and egg prices continue to remain at historically high levels.

If high corn prices are not to blame, what is? The primary cause of high milk prices is that international demand for dairy products has outstripped international supply. The lack of supply is a result of drought in Australia, a drop in subsidized milk production in the European Union, and a lack of profits in the U.S. dairy industry in recent years. Strong world demand is a result of continued strong income growth in China, India, and other Asian countries, and continued strong U.S. demand for cheese. The excess world demand for dairy products has pulled U.S. products onto world markets, thereby raising U.S. prices. Instead of fighting foreign competition, U.S. milk producers are now benefiting from international markets.


Source: Center for Agriculture and Rural Development

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Saturday, August 11, 2007

E85 Conversion Kits Risk Damage and Fines

ethanol conversion food vs fuel food versus fuelUPDATE - Oct 13 2007 - Some news report that Flex Fuel US has received an EPA certification for conversion for fleet vehicles.
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With all of the talk about ethanol, it's easy to get confused about key terms. We've seen media reports about why E10 can't be used (wrong!), consumers using E85 in regular vehicles (wow!), and E85 conversion kits sold online. So here's a quick summary to clear things up.

E10 - A blend of 10% ethanol and 90% unleaded gasoline. Every major automaker in the world approves the use of E-10 Unleaded in their vehicles.

E85 - A blend of 85% ethanol and 15% unleaded gasoline that can be used in Flexible Fuel Vehicles (FFV) which are available from General Motors, Ford and other car manufacturers. Consumers should never use E85 in a conventional, gasoline-only vehicle. This can lead to a range of problems, including not being able to start the engine, damage to engine components, illumination of the check engine light, and emissions increases.

E85 Conversion Kits - It is technically possible to convert a conventional gasoline vehicle to run on E85; however, such conversions would likely be illegal unless they are certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). To date, EPA has not certified any E85 conversions. In addition, converting a conventional vehicle to E85 may violate the terms of the vehicle warranty and even be subject to fines from the EPA.

Learn more about Ethanol, E10 and E85 at the EPA, DrivingEthanol, EthanolFacts and the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition websites.

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Source: EPA

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Friday, August 10, 2007

USDA Forecasts Record-Setting Corn Crop for 2007

U.S. farmers are expected to produce the largest corn crop in history in 2007. Corn production is forecast at 13.1 billion bushels, 10.6 percent above the previous record of 11.8 billion bushels set in 2004.

Based on conditions as of August 1, corn yields are expected to average 152.8 bushels per acre, up 3.7 bushels from last year. This would be second highest corn yield on record, behind the 160.4 bushels per acre produced in 2004. Growers are expected to harvest 85.4 million acres of corn for grain, the most since 1933 and 14.8 million more acres than last year.

Source: USDA

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