Wednesday, April 30, 2008

President Bush Talks Food and Fuel

President Bush food fuel prices peak oil corn ethanolPresident Bush spoke out about high priced oil's toll on American citizens during a press conference on Tuesday.

Calling the $1.40 jump in gas prices over the past 18 months a "tax increase on the working people", the president chided Congress for not taking action:

"Members of Congress have been vocal about foreign governments increasing their oil production; yet Congress has been just as vocal in opposition to efforts to expand our production here at home."

Responding to a question about higher food prices, the president told reporters that "85 percent of the world's food prices are caused by weather, increased demand and energy prices".

The president also said that surging price of gasoline will spur more investment in ethanol as an alternative energy source.

"And the truth of the matter is it's in our national interests that our farmers grow energy, as opposed to us purchasing energy from parts of the world that are unstable or may not like us."

Indeed, Mr. President. Oil's high price impact has driven up inflation for food, devastated our domestic aviation industry, impacted small businesses the worst, and just about everything else.

Numerous reports have shown that the high price of energy, not corn ethanol, has made the devastating impact of prices, including:
Big Oil and Big Food's campaign to destroy the biofuels industry while enriching their own pockets will bring additional misery to millions of Americans. Higher energy costs--with no alternative--means high prices with no end in sight.

Source: WhiteHouse.gov

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Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Fuel Prices Fuel Pain at the Pumps

high gas prices food fuel ethanolThe rising price of gasoline continues to take its toll on motorists at the pumps again.

The average price for gasoline increased nearly 10 cents to $3.603 per gallon. This is up over 63 cents from a year ago at this time.

So what does this mean to consumers? Consider this "fuel vs. food" fact, filling up with 18 gallons for a year at 63 cents more per gallon is $590. That's 150 gallons of milk or 150 boxes of corn flakes or over 150 pounds of ground beef. The rising price of fuel means less money, less food and essentials for millions of hard working Americans.

Diesel prices were up as well, rising over 3 cents to $4.177 per gallon, up an astonishing $1.366 from last year.

Source: Department of Energy

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Monday, April 28, 2008

Pumping Up Gas Prices

high oil priceCongress held a hearing Thursday to find ways to encourage the world's oil producers to boost supplies even as crude oil prices hit a record $119 dollars a barrel last week.

One suggestion by lawmakers is to have the Bush administration temporarily stop buying 70,000 thousand barrels a day to fill the strategic petroleum reserve.

Democratic Congressman Ed Markey of Massachusetts, chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, said of the plan:
“At $119 a barrel, taking significant quantities of oil off of the market to fill the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is like throwing chum into the feeding frenzy of speculation happening on trading floors across the world. By continuing to purchase oil at these record prices, the Bush administration is aiding and abetting the highway robbery of American consumers at the pump.”
In testimony to the committee, Dr. Mark Cooper, Research Director of the Consumer Federation of America, testified on the rising cost of gasoline on American consumers:
We estimate that over the past six years household expenditures on gasoline and motor oil have doubled, rising by more than $1200. In a national poll we conducted earlier this month we found that 73 percent of respondent are greatly concerned about rising gasoline prices and 60 percent of respondents are greatly concerned bout mid-East imports. Thus, the pocketbook and national security implications of our nation’s “addiction to oil” are “top of mind for consumers.”
Cooper went on to tell the committee that current high gas and oil prices are the result of a long term combination of an international crude oil cartel and a tight domestic refining oligopoly both of which have systematically under-invested in production capacity.

Other lawmakers threatened to hold up arms sales to Saudi Arabia if the world's largest oil exporter doesn't boost production.

Meanwhile, gas prices continue to soar to record levels above $3.50 a gallon. And in some places in the country, gas now costs over $4.00 a gallon.

Source: House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming

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Sunday, April 27, 2008

Big Oil's Big Profits

Congressional Research ServiceA new report by the Congressional Research Service shows that the profits of the five major integrated oil companies remained high in 2007, as they generally accounted for approximately 75% of both revenues and net incomes.

The average Return on Equity (ROE) for the major companies was an amazing 22.7% for 2007.

Financial Performance of the Integrated Oil Companies, 2007
(millions of dollars)

2007 Big Oil Profits ExxonMobil Shell BP
From the report:
Revenue growth among the integrated oil companies in 2007 was driven by increases in the price of crude oil, especially in the last two quarters of the year. Even though five of the nine companies experienced a decline in oil production, and one of the nine experienced a decline in natural gas production, as shown in Table 2, their revenues increased on average by 7.1% in 2007. With output declining, it is likely that revenue growth was based on increasing prices.
Higher oil prices continue to plague the American and world economies. Billions of dollars--which could be spent for more food, healthcare, education and consumer goods--are leave the country with higher oil prices and higher profits.

And these higher costs are being passed on to consumers while oil companies continue to enjoy $18 billion in federal subsidies. Something to think about as we pay at the pump.

Source: Open CRS

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***Food and Fuel Quiz, 4-27-08***

food vs fuel debateFood and Fuel in The News
Weekly Trivia Quiz, April 27, 2008

How good are you at Food and Fuel trivia for the week? Try our new weekly trivia quiz. Answers and scoring below the questions. Post your scores in the comments. Good luck!

1. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad remarked that the price of oil is a) way too high Dudes b) just about right or c) too low.

2. General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner spoke in China about the challenges of automotive energy. He said that politicians who blame biofuels for rising food prices are "shockingly uninformed". What did he say was the real cost of higher food prices?


3. The price of gas and diesel rocketed even higher this past week. Was the average gas price HIGHER or LOWER than $3.49 a gallon
?

4. High diesel prices are straining the transportation industry. Was the average price of diesel HIGHER or LOWER than $4.10 a gallon this week?

5. In a new study by Argonne National Laboratory, ethanol plants were found to use less of what two things?

6. What is the name of author Robert Zubrin's book where he advocates an open fuel market to create competition to gasoline?

7. The new report by Iowa State University shows that ethanol lowers gas price by up to how many cents per gallon?


8. According to author Robert Zubrin, OPEC can keep gas prices high because of a a) farmer's market b) horizontal market or c) vertical market?

9. Texas governor Rick Perry mistakenly blames what for higher food prices?

10. What recent findings from Texas A&M University did Rick Perry ignore when requesting a waiver from the RFS? Fill in the blank:
"The underlying force driving changes in the agricultural industry, along with the economy as a whole, is overall higher ______ costs, evidenced by $100 per barrel oil."

BONUS QUESTION: (also worth 10 points)

B1. Which former CIA director warns that foreign oil is a threat to our nation's national security?

SCORE

Earn 10 points for each correct answer.

100 points : Food and Fuel Champ
80-90 points : Great! Keep it up.
60-70 points : Good, but you can do better.
10 - 50 points : Need to visit the site more often
0 points : Are you working for Big Oil?

ANSWERS

1. c) Too Low (or cheap)
2. Higher fuel costs
3. HIGHER, $3.508
4. HIGHER, $4.143
5. Energy and water
6. Energy Victory
7. 40 cents per gallon
8. Vertical market
9. Ethanol
10. Energy

BONUS
B1. James Woolsey

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Saturday, April 26, 2008

Texas Shoots At Ethanol

Texas Governor Rick Perry Ethanol Renewable Fuel Standard RFSFalsely claiming ethanol raises food prices, Texas Governor Rick Perry has asked for a waiver from the Renewable Fuel Standard for fuel made from grain.

The governor claims that getting this waiver will provide "relief at the grocery store".

Quick---Somebody get the man a doctor because he must be blind!

Just last week, Texas A&M University prepared a report on the impact of ethanol on Texas that some had hoped would bolster the governor's request. But the results proved otherwise.

The Texas A&M report found that oil is the cause of rising food prices and that rolling back the RFS would not reduce food prices:
"The underlying force driving changes in the agricultural industry, along with the economy as a whole, is overall higher energy costs, evidenced by $100 per barrel oil."

"Relaxing the RFS does not result in significantly lower corn prices. This is due to the ethanol infrastructure already in place and the generally positive economics for the industry. The ethanol industry has grown in excess of the RFS, indicating that relaxing the standard would not cause a contraction in the industry."
And just this week, Iowa State University found that ethanol reduces gas prices up to 40 cents a gallon.
This analysis suggests that the growth in ethanol production has caused retail gasoline prices to be $0.29 to $0.40 per gallon lower than would otherwise have been the case.
These two reports are just the latest on the many that show the many benefits of renewable energy.

Falling for the oily bait of the oil companies to wound and kill competition to gasoline, the Texas governor's plan would cause more pain for more Texans. Rising fuel prices are increasing costs for all Americans at the pumps and the grocery store, creating great wealth for countries hostile to us and leaving us vulnerable to more economic and political disasters.

Texas should rejoin the other states in the Union who are building a cleaner, brighter renewable energy future.

"Remember the $2.00 gas!" and "Don't mess with RFS" might be two new mottos for Texas.

Source: Texas Governor Rick Perry

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Friday, April 25, 2008

New Report Shows Ethanol Lowers Gas Prices

center agriculture rural development Iowa State University ethanol reportA new report, The Impact of Ethanol Production on U.S. and Regional Gasoline Prices and on the Profitability of the U.S. Oil Refinery Industry (pdf), by Xiaodong Du and Dermot J. Hayes at the Iowa State University concludes that ethanol production lowers retail gasoline prices up to 40 cents per gallon.

The study found:
  • This analysis suggests that the growth in ethanol production has caused retail gasoline prices to be $0.29 to $0.40 per gallon lower than would otherwise have been the case.
  • The analysis shows that the negative impact of ethanol on gasoline prices varies considerably across regions.
  • The Midwest region has the biggest impact, at $0.39/gallon, while the Rocky Mountain region had the smallest impact, at $0.17/gallon.
  • The results also indicate that ethanol production has significantly reduced the profit margin of the oil refinery industry.
This latest report confirms the many other reports that ethanol plays a positive role in lowering gasoline costs.

With oil prices rising, consumer will face more pain at the pump in the coming weeks. Increased ethanol production increases the fuel supply and helps to lower fuel prices.

Source: Center for Agriculture and Rural Development, Iowa State University

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Thursday, April 24, 2008

Can You Repeat the Question?

Big Oil Congress Hearings profits















Source: Renewable Fuels Now

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Energy Victory Through Competition

Robert Zubrin, author of "Energy Victory" lays out his thoughts on the current oil crisis and his ideas for lowering the price of oil down through competition.

Among his suggestions, Zubrin advocates:
  • The solution is for an open fuel market.
  • OPEC can keep prices high due to its vertical market.
  • US should require flex fuel vehicles running on alcohol fuels made from a variety of sources.
  • This would force gas to compete, bring prices down and keep them there through continued world-wide competition.



To view this directly from YouTube, click HERE.

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Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Ethanol Production Goes Green

Argonne National Laboratory EthanolA new report on domestic ethanol production shows dramatic efficiency gains in the past five years.

According to the analysis conducted by the Argonne National Laboratory, ethanol plants are using less energy and less water to make ethanol than just a few years ago.

Other key report findings include:
  • Ethanol yield per bushel of corn increased 6.4% for dry mills and 2.4% for wet mills.
  • Total energy use (fossil and electricity) decreased 21.8% in dry mills and 7.2% in wet mills.
  • A decrease in grid electricity use in dry mills of 15.7%.
  • Finally, water consumption in dry mills decrease of 26.6%.

The full report is available HERE (pdf).

Source: Renewable Fuels Association, Argonne National Laboratory

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Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Gas and Diesel Prices Rocket Upwards...Again!

high gasoline prices April 2008Gasoline and diesel prices continued climbing this week.

According to the US Department of Energy, the average price for regular gasoline is now $3.508 a gallon. This new price is up nearly 12 cents from last week and nearly 64 cents from a year ago at this time.

This increased cost from just a year ago could cost over $665 more a year. (.64 x 20 gals x 52 weeks).

However, many expect the price to reach $4.00 a gallon this summer based on tight refined gasoline supplies and the increasing cost of crude oil.

high diesel price April 2008Diesel prices climbed as well reaching an average price of $4.143 a gallon. This is up 8.4 cents from a year ago at this time and an alarming $1.292 from a year ago.

High diesel costs continue to harm the domestic trucking industry. Already this year a nationwide trucker's strike brought attention to the issue.

In addition, higher transportation costs are fueling increased costs of food and consumer goods.

Source: US Department of Energy

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Monday, April 21, 2008

GM CEO: Automotive Energy is a Challenge

General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner China BiofuelsFueling an increasing world is an energy and environmental challenge according to the General Motors Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner

In China for the Beijing Auto Show he spoke at the opening of a new research center :
“Automotive energy is one of the core energy and environmental challenges facing our world today.” said Wagoner.
He also went on to discuss the need to find alternative fuels:
The extraordinary growth in emerging markets is helping to drive the need to develop robust alternatives to the world’s almost-complete reliance on oil.”
Wagoner was also quoted by the Detroit News as saying that politician's blaming ethanol for rising food prices are "shockingly uninformed" and that higher fuel costs are a much bigger factor.

Source: General Motors

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Sunday, April 20, 2008

$115 a Barrel Oil is Too Cheap

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. oil price is too low$115 a barrel oil is priced too cheap

At least according to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Millions of Americans would disagree.

The Iranian state news website quoted Ahmadinejad on oil's value on Friday while attending an international petrochemical exhibition in Iran:
"Oil at $115 dollars a barrel in today's market is a deceiving figure, oil is a strategic commodity and should find its real value."
This week the contract price for crude oil on the New York Mercantile Exchange ended on a record close of $116.69 dollars a barrel on Friday. It had earlier reached an all-time record peak price of $117 dollars earlier in the day. Some predict that oil will reach $150 a barrel this year.

Higher crude prices will cause even higher gasoline prices in the coming days and weeks forcing higher food and consumer goods costs and pain at the gas pumps for millions of Americans.

Source: Islamic Republic News Service, Tehran Times

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Food and Fuel Quiz, April 20, 2008

food vs fuel debateFood and Fuel in The News
Weekly Trivia Quiz, April 20, 2008

How good are you at Food and Fuel trivia for the week? Try our new weekly trivia quiz. Answers and scoring below the questions. Post your scores in the comments. Good luck!

1. Students at Clarkson University won the SAE Clean Snowmobile Challenge with an engine that used what as fuel? a) biodiesel b) nuclear or c) E85 Ethanol

2. Gas prices have gone wild. Was the average price of gas HIGHER or LOWER than $3.35 a gallon?


3. New Jersey dairy farmers are getting an adjustment to overcome higher fuel costs that are threatening the stability of farmers. True or False.


4. When the Department of Justice and Immigration and Customs Enforcement came to visit Pilgrim's Pride, did they want to discuss a) higher costs b) poor improvements in quality and profit goals or c) illegal immigrants and identity thefts?

5. The National Corn Growers Association credits what with bringing down higher gas prices?


6. Which state became the 14th to endorse the "25 x '25" plan ?

7. According to the Department of Energy, advancing biomass technology is critical to reducing what two things?


8. Diesel prices are HIGHER or LOWER than $4.00 a gallon this week.

9. Major snowmobile manufacturers recommend what to promote clean air in areas of high snowmobile use such as Yellowstone National Park?

10. In a more truthful disclosure in WattPoultry, Pilgrim's Pride said it would shut down its plant in El Dorado if "the company does not see improvement in" what?


SCORE

Earn 10 points for each correct answer.

100 points : Food and Fuel Champ
80-90 points : Great! Keep it up.
60-70 points : Good, but you can do better.
10 - 50 points : Need to visit the site more often
0 points : Are you working for Big Oil?

ANSWERS

1. c) E85 Ethanol
2. Higher, $3.389
3. True
4. c) Illegal immigrants and identity thefts
5. Ethanol
6. Tennessee
7. Greenhouse gas emissions and dependence on foreign oil
8. Higher, $4.059
9. E10 Ethanol fuel
10. Quality

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Saturday, April 19, 2008

DOE Researches Advanced Biomass Conversion

US Department of Energy Ethanol BiofuelsThe U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced this week that up to $4 million in funding is available to U.S. universities for research and development of cost-effective, environmentally friendly biomass conversion technologies.

Advancing biomass technology is critical to diversifying our nation’s energy sources in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and dependence on foreign oil.
“As world demand for energy continues to grow, so too must our supply of clean, reliable and affordable sources of energy. Cellulosic biofuels provide a promising way to meet President Bush’s ambitious goals of reducing our nation’s dependence on foreign oil, improving our air quality and supporting rural communities,” Under Secretary of Energy Bud Albright said.
The Department’s advanced research and development funding contributes to the U.S. goal of making cellulosic ethanol, which is produced from agricultural waste products through biomass conversion, cost-competitive by 2012.

This research also aims to increase the suite of biofuels necessary to supply at least 36 billion gallons of U.S. motor fuel by 2022 and meet interim supply targets for specific advanced fuels outlined in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.

Source: US Department of Energy

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Friday, April 18, 2008

Tennessee Endorses 25x'25

Tennessee SealThe Tennessee General Assembly last week became the 14th state legislative body to endorse the goal of a 25x'25 energy future.

"25x'25" is a rallying cry for renewable energy and a goal for America – to get 25 percent of our energy from renewable resources like wind, solar, and biofuels by the year 2025.

Prime sponsor, State Sen. Bill Ketron of Murfreesboro, and House Agriculture Committee Chairman Stratton Bone, were joined by 32 senators and 96 representatives in overwhelmingly adopting Senate Joint Resolution 728.

The resolution promotes:
"the development of a broad spectrum of renewable energy sources, including wind power, biodiesel, biomass, methane digesters, ethanol, and solar" for the direct economic benefit to agricultural landowners and rural communities.
The measure also recognizes the state's and region's "tremendous renewable energy resources" and that this resource base will "allow America's farmers and ranchers to play a major role in ensuring a fully sustainable U.S. energy system."

To learn more about Tennessee's Biofuel programs, visit www.biotenn.org

The full Tennessee resolution can be found HERE in PDF format.

Source: 25x'25

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Thursday, April 17, 2008

Corn Growers Respond to Food and Fuel

Jon Doggett National Corn Growers Association Ethanol Food and FuelJust how much of an impact are biofuels having on food prices? That was the question posed to the corn growers this week.

In an on-camera interview with Environment and Energy Publishing's OnPoint, Jon Doggett, vice president of public policy at the National Corn Growers Association, says commodities prices are having a negligible impact on the price of food.

He says other factors are contributing more significantly. Doggett also discusses how the 2007 biofuels mandate will affect long-term food and grain costs.
Monica Trauzzi: Do you believe that the use of corn for the production of biofuels is having an impact on our grocery bills?

Jon Doggett:
It's negligible. And, in fact, probably the presence of ethanol in the gasoline market is bringing down the cost of gasoline that you're going to use to drive to the store that should probably end up being cheaper than the increase you're going to see in food costs.

Monica Trauzzi:
What impact do you believe the 2007 biofuels mandate is going to have moving forward on the price of food and the price of corn?

Jon Doggett: Our trend line yields are going up significantly. We are using better seed corn than we've ever used before. Every year that gets better and better. Our yields are going up exponentially and so I think we're going to have an opportunity to meet that demand, meet the demand in the world market, meet the demand for our traditional customers in the livestock industry, meet the demand for industrial uses, meet the demand for food.
Watch the full video HERE. Read the full transcript HERE. Read more from the NCGA HERE.

Source: EENews OnPoint

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Pilgrim's Pride Plucked and ICE'd

Pilgrim's Pride chicken ethanol food fuelIt's never a good thing when the Department of Justice (DoJ) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) show up at your front door to arrest hundreds of your employees for identity theft and illegal immigration.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), in coordination with the U.S. Department of Justice and an array of other local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, today arrested more than 280 foreign nationals employed at Pilgrim's Pride plants in five states who are suspected of committing identity theft and other criminal violations in order to obtain their jobs. - DOJ/ICE
And you're closing plants because of lack of progress of quality and return on investment.
"Pilgrim’s Pride Corp. said that it may shut down its processing plant, feed mill and hatchery in El Dorado, Arkansas, if the company does not see improvement in quality and a return on its investment."
"We've invested millions in that facility and have not seen a return on that investment," - WattPoultry
But you blame federal energy policy for your woes. While ignoring the many other issues that are raising your costs.

We're a little skeptical that maybe you have bigger problems going on and corn prices are a pretty easy scapegoat. Maybe if you say it enough, people will believe it and forget about the other issues.

Because after their corn ethanol bashing, the gem is really there in the press release:
"reducing overall supply to better match demand is an important component in helping return the industry to profitability." - Pilgrim's Pride
An over supply of chicken means you're not selling your stuff at the price you want.

And you've got plants that don't meet your quality or profit goals so you're going to close them anyway.

And the police are in your parking lots hauling your employees away.

But you put the blame on ethanol policy.

But be careful who you tell because they might just believe you.

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Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Dairy Farmers to Receive Help With Fuel Costs

New Jersey milk cows food fuelDairy farmers in New Jersey will continue to receive additional payments to help them remain viable due to higher fuel costs, according to a decision issued by the New Jersey Department of Agriculture.

The Department reviewed the so-called ”fuel adjustment add-on,” which was first instituted in February 2007. That regulation mandates that purchasers of raw milk from New Jersey dairy farmers must pay the farmers an additional charge for fuel to help offset high diesel prices. The payment is calculated monthly by the Department and moves up or down based on whether the price of the fuel has risen or fallen. Farmers have received an average of $325 per month from the fuel adjustment add-on.

The decision was issued after a series of hearings starting in November 2007 and ending this February. The fuel adjustment add-on addresses the clear impact of escalating fuel prices on the producer, which is threatening the ability of remaining dairy farmers to stay in business.

A copy of the full decision document which was filed April 11 with the Secretary of State, is available on the web at www.nj.gov/agriculture/pdf/Dairydecision08.pdf.

Source: New Jersey Department of Agriculture

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