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Subscribe to RSSHeat wave continues across much of the nation as more than half the country is dealing with a moderate drought conditions. NBC's Jay Gray reports.
Competing for corn with ethanol producers at a time of sky-high prices and drought, cattlemen and other livestock producers have asked for some relief but their plea has yet to get the needed support.
The help would have to come via the Environmental Protection Agency, which has the power to temporarily reduce the amount of ethanol required to be mixed into gasoline for vehicles. Since ethanol is cleaner than petroleum, its use in vehicles helps reduce overall air pollution.
But the request for a waiver must come from a state or a refiner -- and a day after the plea was made that still hasn't happened.
"Our ears are open and the line of communications is open," Mike Deering, a spokesman for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, told NBC News. But, he added, "we do not have any definitive news at this point and time."
The Renewable Fuels Association, an ethanol trade group, told NBC News that it "wouldn't be surprised" to see a request.
In a statement, the EPA told NBC News that it was in "close contact with USDA as they and we keep an eye on crop yield estimates, and we will review any data or information submitted by stakeholders, industry and states."
A drought is now gripping more than half of the nation, with the latest U.S. Drought Monitor showing some of the worst areas are expanding. In Tennessee, crops are dying and families are struggling to face the losses. NBC's Thanh Truong reports.
Still, Mark McMinimy, biofuels analyst at Guggenheim Partners Washington Research Group, told Reuters he wasn't expecting any change. "I am not sure if this changes the landscape all that much," he said of the livestock producers' plea. "EPA officials and the secretary of agriculture (Tom Vilsack) have all indicated that they are not considering a waiver at this time."
Texas Gov. Rick Perry failed in his attempt to get a waiver in 2008, and the November elections could make for continued status quo given that President Barack Obama and many other lawmakers are strong supporters of ethanol, which is hugely popular in farm states.
America's ongoing drought disaster is getting worse before it gets better. NBC's Chris Clackum reports.
Corn prices have risen 60 percent in six weeks, Reuters reports, and about a third of the U.S. corn supply is used for ethanol. About as much is used as animal feed.
"The drought-induced reductions in the corn supply means that the mandated utilization of corn for renewable fuels will so reduce the supply of corn and increase its price that livestock and poultry producers will be forced to reduce the size of their herds and flocks, causing some to go out of business and jobs to be lost," the cattlemen's association and other livestock groups said in their letter to EPA chief Lisa Jackson.
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This is a fine article on the pros and cons and the future of ethanol. If any of you care to learn something here is a link...
consumerreports.org/cro/2011/01/the-great-ethanol-debate/index.htm
Obama and his ilk continue to insist that corn be used in the production of fuel, while half of the world is starving. The liberal media, ABC, CBS, NBC, MSNBC, NPR and USA today, among others, continue to ignore the inflation in food prices due to the diversion of corn, which along with being a food staple is the basic ingredient in feed for all livestock. Obama, with the help of the liberal media, continues to deceive the average US citizen into thinking the 25 - 35 % inflation experienced in food does not exist or is simply a result of the wealthy owners' raising prices out of personal greed.
Unfortunately, the current drought throughout the mid west is going to exacerbate the problem.
Growing corn to fuel our cars is just plain crazy!
And plowing through the earth and polluting the oceans makes a load of sense.
"Not as bad as 88'" and it looks like road workers are getting lots of work which is always good ,right ?
(gotta make that $$)
Republicans say "NO" to limits on carbon emissions because once again they say it's too expensive. But now we have crazy weather which is driving up the cost of everything thus making things even more expensive than if we limited carbon. Thanks again Republicans!
Remember it's the EPA. They are a huge Industry. Just because they are a Government entity does not mean they are not in the business of being in Business. Power is Money and next to the Military, they are in my opinion the second most powerful Branch of Government. They control almost every aspect of our lives. Soon we will be handed catalytic converters for, "Personal Use", just don't get caught without yours properly installed!!!
the cattle industry gets enough breaks from the government.
much of their grazing land is public land.
cattle is a very inefficient use of land resources.
enough favors for the cattle industry!
Martin, you're another Know Nothing poster on here. Of the top 10 cattle producing states, 6 of them have NO public land to graze on. Cattlemen get NOTHING from the government in the way of payments. They have opened CRP ground (too late) for grazing and haying. That is owned mostly by rich investors, who let the taxpayers pay for their ground. I know of NO REAL farmers/cattlemen who can afford to not use the ground they're paying for.
I hope next year at this time. I can still afford a ribeye on my grill. I'm going to stock my freezer this fall.
I'd do it before fall BobbyG, prices are headed up just on speculation
Many of us aren't doing the best now a days. By stopping ethanol, at least temporarily, we can get ore feed for farm animals thus help lower the inflationary pressures on meat products that's coming. Additionally, the fed has spent billions on ethanol subsidies just to make the EPA happy. Lastly because ethanol is expensive to make, we might actually see a reduction in fuel prices. Politicians frequently state that they want to protect the middle class, well this is one way they can do this. If they don't then it just goes to show who the hypocrits are in DC.
Ethanol producers need to switch to genetically engineered seaweeds and sea algae in the future for a number of very good reasons. There are vast ocean areas which can be used to grow these ocean crops at very modest cost. - RC
Floating tanks which use floating barriers developed for containing oil spills, which also have large reinforced plastic film bottoms underneath the water, can be used out in the sea to grow large sea algae crops. - RC
(PS - I would personally do this in long floating strip pools, so the crop can be slowly circulated from one end to the other for convenient harvesting. These floating strip pools would have something akin to a standard pool liner under the water, with bubbler and feeder tubes along the way. A weighted underwater resistance umbrella down in the depths can provide movement resistance for using wave action to power the bubblers.) - RC
Green energy? Obama promised us that energy would cost more; that is guaranteed by stupid government policy. Food to fuel was never well thought out and we have been paying for this idiocy for a while now. Our weedeaters and chain saws will not run on the crap; My older cars get better milage on pure gasoline; what in the hell are we doing people???
Livestock producers, YOU'RE ASKING THE "FOX" to take care of your "CHICKEN COUP"! The REAL ANSWER is to eliminate the corrupt Republican OIL & FINANCIAL corporate MONARCHY that has MADE SLAVES OF ALL OF US because of their UNCONTROLLED CAPITALISTIC GREED with NO END IN SIGHT!!
The other part of the REAL ANSWER is to switch to MAGNETICALLY-DRIVEN ELECTRICAL ENERGY! 100% NON-POLLUTANT, and FOSSIL FUEL FREE! There are 3 VIABLE patents by Howard Johnson for this form of energy in OUR U.S. Patent Office and they have been there for a long time! Each system is independent from each other, extremely cheap make, install, operate & maintain! Since each system is independent there would be NO MASSIVE POWER OUTAGES because of disasters & inclement weather!
Help the 99% American People to help them selves and rid our selves of this CORPORATE CAPITALISTIC GREED ONCE & FOREVER! Help us & we'll help you!!
Put the cattle back on grass and so many problems will be resolved...they were not meant to eat corn. Corn and corn syrup is a huge reason for folks getting fat in the United States. There is corn syrup in everything nowadays...grass the natural resource
i agree that corn syrup is a huge problem. frankly i don't care much for sugar, either. honey is my favorite, today.
cattle should be fed grass.
Ethanol in gas serves NO PURPOSE!! It inflates the price, gives you horrible gas mileage, and RUINS catalytic converters! A total crock of $hit if you ask me!!
If you are looking for a single government agency to blame for unemployment and
our disastrous economic outlook then look no further the EPA forcing us to
become the world’s largest air filter, they are primary reason for outsourcing
of jobs! They are dirty and deeply corrupted and need to be cut way bay back!
BS! The EPA is trying to keep your air and water clean. If you can't deal with that then move to India and see if you like the air and water there better. Not one factory of any kind in this country is going to spend a nickel on trying to keep the air and water clean without some gov group threatening their ass. I'd rather have that then the air/water we'd end up with if there was no EPA or controls over them.
If I remember correctly, and I know you're going to hate this, but I think Bush made a law while in office. It was a good idea at first but they soon found out that ethanol actually uses more resources then it saves. That industry tried for years to get a foot hold and never could until backed up by the government. Now they need to repeal that law and do away with it. It's driven the prices up on everything because the competition for corn has raised the prices like made.
We should all write congress/EPA and tell them to repeal the law on ethanol.
feed the working class or feed big oil?? what a decision...in the end the working class will get screwed again...put lead back in gas and get rid of cat.convertors...big gov't has no clue...
@kimposible, "Killing cattle for food and polluting the earth to drive giant trucks is hardly anything to be proud of, yet you complain that ethanol is a "scam" so that you can keep your destructive lifestyle. Go figure....". It sounds like it's time to pet your cat and hit the bong. Not everyone is a stupid vegan. And using a food source to fuel our petro based automobiles is idiotic. You can keep your curds and whey, and I'll keep on eating steak, and chicken, and pork. Silly hippies.
I have never seen this many ignorant comments on any subject. These livetock producer associations are not representing actual cattle producers, though a lot of cattleman are members. These organizations represent feedlots and big food. Cattle eat grass. Corn fed beef was begun as a way to use more corn. Feedlot beef is bad for humans and bad for cattle. Grass finished beef is becoming more and more popular. My neighbor has 400 head of cattle and is a cerified organic grass fed beef producer. No corn is fed to those cattle from birth to table. It is true that the drought causes less grass as well as less corn, but that's not because of ethnol. It's because of drought. The petroleum industry is waging all out war against ethanol, and they use lies and misinformation as a weapon. Gullible ignorant people are their best friends. The real problem is overpopulation, and it gets worse every year. In 1900 the population of the US was 75 million people, 1950 it was 150 milliion, 2000 it was just under 300 million. now it's about 340 million. Corn prices are going through the roof because of speculators. A lot of ethanol plants are reducing their production and some have closed because of high corn prices. Higher ethanol prices mean highe gasoline prices. You can't burn the garbage that is being produced by petroleum companies because of it's poor quality and low octane. If you don't add ethanol as an octane booster you would have to go back to lead. Lead causes more pollution and damages engines and emission systems. Corn would also be a lot cheaper if we didn't export so much of it. Ultimately we will have to face the problem of overpopulation.
There are 30 million acres of CRP, the government rents to sit idle. These acres could be growing hay, corn, or be pastured. What a waste!
American Socialist you have found the solution, So WHY has it not been used? SUBSIDIES or HANDOUTS. The CORN FARMERS are protecting their RIGHT WING HANDOUT.
The GOP and TEA SHYST Parties are being WATCHED. Who really is FREELOADING on TAX DOLLARS !!
My horse feed is already going up in price, cattle is being slaughered earlier than normally would be, and alot of farmers and their livestock are going to suffer.
Here in Fla I have seen starving animals, it is sad,..the horses suffer, the cows suffer, and families suffer when prices sky rocket. The worst of it s that once the pices go up, they never come down. There is plenty of ay and yet last year's prices are the norm now. It is tough all the way around.
Be aware the USDA plans to register, microchip and track ALL livestock, even those as pets, horses included. The USDA is not a friend to anyone except big ag, who wants all the marbles and is using $150 million of our taxes to legislate rules that would make it impossible for private citizens to raise their own meat and veggies.
A person who owns chickens or other livestock is considered more dangerous by our govt than those that shoot up movie theaters.
google- raw milk raids, Dollarhite rabbits, Utah registers gardens, mad sheep and nonais.org.
Let's get the fact straight. Ethanol's primary purpose is as an anti-knock additive to gasoline. Remember MTBE that was outlawed by the EPA because it incorrectly decided MTBE was polluting water? MTBE was a replacement for the lead in gasoline. Lead was the anti-knock additive. True, lead was polluting the air and ethanol is cleaner burning. But the way the article states it, gives the reader a slanted understanding of the purpose of ethanol.
Also, FYI, MTBE is made from natural gas. Has anyone noticed that we now have a huge surplus of natural gas in this country. So much of a surplus, we are now planning to export it. Why not begin using MTBE again? Leave the corn for human consumption. Our food prices should never be allowed to be driven by EPA mandates.