Friday, October 31, 2008

Latest set of studies on ethanol are in conflict

"New studies this week on the efficiency and food supply effects of corn-based ethanol came to completely different conclusions," reports Janie Gabbett of MeatingPlace.com, a journal for the meat industry. The industry has grown to dislike ethanol for raising the price of corn, which is also fed to animals.

The Illinois Corn Growers Association released two studies concluding that "corn-based ethanol production leaves a smaller carbon footprint than gasoline and has substantial room for growth without affecting the corn supply to the food and feed sectors," Gabbett writes. The other study "predicted corn yields would increase to 289 bushels per acre over the next two decades from the current 155 bushels per acre, which would provide sufficient corn to increase ethanol production to 33 billion gallons annually by 2030 from the 7.1 billion gallons produced last year." To read those studies, click here.

The other study, by Dennis Avery of the Center for Global Food Issues at the generally conservative Hudson Institute, "said ethanol has made the world use more corn than it can sustainably produce, creating massive food-price hikes," Gabbett reports. Avery writes, "Were we to double corn yields, we still would not have enough room for corn ethanol, because global food and feed demand will double again by 2040." For the study, click here.

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