Kid

That is the biggest problem i see with it in "my neck of the woods", also.

KSdeerhuntr

Alright Im a farmer in Kansas, and yes there is alot of CRP ground being put into production, but you look at the economics, who in their right mind would take less than $100/acre on CRP payments compared to way over $200 in wheat (and that is with only a 20 bushel yield which is easily accomplished without hardly any rain) not to mention close to $500/acre(100 bushel yield)if it were put into corn production. There is not even a comparison, finally just finally things are looking good on the economic side of agriculture, which hasnt happened in decades and the general public whines and complains about the cost of fuel (which farmers are actually helping lower the price), food costs and now lack of cover. Switchgrass and all the other cellulosic ideas that are being tossed around to make ethanol is not practical at this point. To produce cellulosic products for ethanol to the extent of corn would take an unimaginable change in the way Americans farm. Imagine if all the corn acres were planted with switchgrass....now how would that affect deer hunting. Before, you start badmouthing farmers and complaining about the high price of corn (that you buy to put in your feeders!) take a look, farmers and deer hunters are supposed to work together, take awayall the cropland in yourhunting area and seehow it affects next years hunting.

crazycoonhunterNE

The corn is being planted in the hills where the mulies live and they aren't just going to bed down in a picked cornfield. They like to be in the hills where there is grass tall enough that they can't be seen. The mulie hunting would be fine without corn. As for the whitetails the corn is a good food source for them, and it is easy to findand hunt them between there beds and the corn. I like the corn. just not on the hills where the mulies live. Hopefully the corn will not be as productive on those hills, and they will plant alfalfa or oats or rye.

mcgurn

Around heregas is 10% ethanol. If they would simply double production to 20% ethanol we wouldn't need all these flex fuel vehicles because the product going through the gas lines and such woul be essentially the same wouldn't hurt the rubber. At the same time the ethanol use would be doubled and would decrease slightly our dependance on foreign oil. After all that is what the ultimate goal of ethanol is, reduce foreign dependance and increase money given to our economy. However big oil covertly will not allow this. They have to much money invested around the world to allow it. That is why around here we have one ethanol plant in my town that will now not be built and one about an hour away that is a month away from being completed with $30 million in liens placed against it and requiring anothe $30 million more to get it running it is now bankrupt with noone to complete it.

wingchaser_labs

Sure fuel prices may lower but for how long and will they actually ever? Not all farmers benefit from this. The only famers who will benefit are soley cash crop farmers who do nothign but cash crop. Grow and sell..... Now how about the farmer who has to feed his cows, steers, hogs, chickens.... Alot of small farmers grow their own food for their animalsand how about bigger operations that due only large lots of feeder animals. The small guys are eatin the costs to buy seed and fertilizer and everythign else that will go up with inflation along with crops. The feeder guys are gonna eat it bad with cost to feed those animals having to buy it and with beef and hog prices lately your barely gettin more than breakin even.Chicken farmers are losin their contracts with big companies to grow chickens cuz its to expensive already.Sure prices may go up but then what, are people gonna pay $2 a lb for chicken in the store, or this and that for beef and pork. I highly doubt it. How about fast food chains? Whats gonna happen to those prices. People arent gonna afford the new cost of things and the econmy of ag is lookin at a hurtin more than anything I think but ya never know, could be wrong and it will all work out great for the farmers as a whole but we'll see. I sure hope alot of he farmers around here are wrong but if you ask me and them, our country is fixin for a recession with this whole corn deal........... WCL

magicman54494

There is a good article in the October issue of Field and Stream mag. about ethanol production from cpr grasses. Very informative. Check it out.

buckclub

Just some sporadic thoughtson my disaproval ofUS corn Ethanol:
This is a matter of a global food vs. fuel battle.
With countries like China and India with a growing middle class, they want a taste of meat, and gas in the car. Who is going to feed them?
The US can import brazilian sugar cane ethanol cheaper than what we can produce it from corn here. With corn, soy, wheat, and barley prices doubling over the last 2 years, we are experiencing a ripple effect in virtually all food products, esp. products made from grains and animals that need to eat these grains no matter what the cost of them. The consumer is footing the bill. What will food prices be like in 2022 when 7 times the amount of corn acres will be needed to meet the current goverment mandates. 7 times the amount of acres will be shifted out of US and world (US exports) stocks that would go to feed livestock. America has always had a 'cheap food policy', meaningthe percentage of ourincome that goes to food isone of the lowest4 countries i believe (around 8-11% if i remember right).lets keep it that way. Its too late if we dont get away from corn ethanol.
The subsidies on corn ethanol should be eliminated.Put the saved money towards finding new more efficent means of producing energy to reduce our dependence

hillbilly archer

One thing to keep in mind, isn't Ethanol as a fuel not as effiecient as gasoline. So, if ethanol is only a few cents cheaper, is it really better?

bryant1

You won't haveto worry with corn being planted much longer- GE switchgrass will take the place of it in years to come. University of Florida is working on it aggressively along with other universities. bye bye corn, hello grass - it is hard to imagine a buck trying to bed down in the switchgrass!