"As Ethanol Takes Its First Steps, Congress Proposes a Giant Leap"
Some excerpts from the article: "Producing about seven billion gallons of ethanol a year from corn has reshaped agricultural markets and sent corn prices soaring. Congress wants to double that level of production, to 15 billion gallons." ... "The new legislation would OBLIGE farmers to grow NEW crops in new ways, ...". (CAPS are my emphasis)
I haven't read the bill, but that last sentence sounds like farmers who grow barley, for instance, could be OBLIGED to grow corn as a NEW crop. Sounds completely un-American to me and I don't see how the government can do such a thing, but then maybe they're referring to a little arm twisting -- e.g., 'if you want your farm subsidy over here ... or your tax credit over there ... then you will grow corn for ethanol'.
And then this second article ... "Food and Fuel Compete for Land"
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Excerpts: "In Oregon, Jack Joyce, the owner of Rogue Ales, said the cost of barley malt has soared 88 percent this year." ... "Last week, the Senate voted 86 to 8 for a new energy bill containing expanded ethanol mandates, and the House is expected to follow suit this week."
So, it looks to me like our higher barley prices are probably here to stay. I don't know whether ethanol production is a good idea or not, but I also worry about the impact on our land and water resources. I was watching a TV show just last week that was speaking about our water crisis, our diminishing aquafers, the possibility of a long-term drought, and that corn needs heavy irrigation compared to other grains like wheat (didn't menton barley). I'm no farmer, so I don't know how they compare. I'd just hate to wake up ten years from now in the midst of another dust bowl where we can't irrigate and produce even enough food to eat, let alone to make ethanol.
My son insists that if we would grow hemp (NOT the kind with THC), that we could produce FAR more energy than with corn, but the U.S. bans the growth of hemp, unlike Canada (supposedly) and other nations. It just seems that our legislators in Washington always have their heads up their asses.
Cheers ... but not much to be cheerful about with that news.
Bill Velek - PERSONAL sites =