Issue Position: Agriculture

Issue Position

Issue Position: Agriculture

Now that the world is facing food shortages and the rising price of groceries, production of ethanol from corn is being subjected to renewed scrutiny and questions such as: At a time when food is becoming more scarce and costly, shouldn't the U.S. research a move from a biofuels industry that currently depends upon food crops to something else?

The common sense concern about using corn for fuel when it could help feed hungry people is a serious consideration. Do not believe, however, when the big oil companies and their supporters say that ethanol production has been the cause of rising gas prices. The cause is the day-by-day rise in oil prices for fuel needed to plant, harvest, transport, process and market is the main reason for a strain on grocery budgets. The idea that ethanol is the culprit of higher grocery bills instead of oil is ludicrous.

The fact, however, is that we can find another source for ethanol which is not foodbased. The Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) included in the energy bill increases incentives for both conventional and advanced biofuels such as switchgrass or wood waste. The RFS calls for a tripling of cellulosic ethanol of which over half must be advanced biofuels that reduce emissions by 50% above gasoline or diesel.(Cellulosic ethanol is ethanol which is produced from wood, grasses or the non-edible parts of plants.)

The goal of this pilot program, which is administered by the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, is to build a foundation for a biofuels industry that will make and market ethanol and other biofuels from switchgrass at prices competitive with fossil fuels such as gasoline and diesel.

This sounds promising so far!

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