Quote Originally Posted by havaduner View Post
Didn't get the letter, can't believe there may be something ol' Dianne and I agree on, if I was to believe her letter. 2MM, good post, and I agree that it takes more energy to grow the corn that it produces, but curious about the statement of contamination of ground water and soil and where it came from? Not disagreeing with that statement, more like if that is the case, it should be something to be pointed out loudly as another reason why we should reduce corn based ethanol in fuels.

I don’t know anyone smart enough to quantify the idea/theory that growing corn creates more contamination than it prevents through (cleaner burning) ethanol production. HOWEVER when you factor in the fertilizers / pesticides / herbicides and the solid particulates from the diesel tractors/cultivators/sprayers/combines/hauling to market/storing/drying (in some cases)/transport to the distilleries (sp). I think that all of these steps are where the argument comes in about corn based fuel creating more contamination than it prevents. Seed stock has to be grown, harvested, cleaned, stored, bagged, transported, climate controlled for seasons, transported again, planted.

I don't know how you would quantify all of the above but there are MANY MANY steps that take place to produce one gallon of ethanol. Quite honestly at the price per bushel for corn from your local co-op, IMHO I think it should be double or triple the price if the gubment stayed out of the process and let the farmers do their thing on the free market.

Cellulose ethanol is where it is at IMHO, switch grass, it is native to this country / soils and grows fast without depleting the soil. Its a perennial weed... BUT the big energy concerns and the likes of ADM have the enzymes to make it viable totally tied up and buried so it won’t see the light of day for decades and we need this stuff working NOW...

I am ALL for the American farmer / American farm family (minus gubment)...