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Ethanol Producers Come Under Fire In Congress
By Mr Ethanol | May 7, 2008
Minnesota Public Radio:
The growing backlash against ethanol arrived today at the U.S. House. Ethanol consumes about one-fifth of the U.S. corn harvest. And some groups blame ethanol for pushing up food prices.
One proposal before Congress would roll back a federal law requiring additional ethanol production. Opponents of that idea say it would hurt the nation’s renewable fuels industry, and it could actually increase gasoline prices.
St. Paul, Minn. – The ethanol’s industry heavy use of corn is a major reason why corn prices have risen sharply, to nearly $6 a bushel. Those higher prices are one factor in boosting food costs, up nearly 5% in the last year.
Last December Congress mandated that the U.S. produce 15 billion gallons of ethanol by 2015, roughly double current production. At a House Energy and Air Quality Subcommittee hearing, big oil blasted the nation’s ethanol policies.
Charles Drevna, National Petrochemical and Refiners Association President, said a major portion of the the ethanol mandate has landed on the dinner tables of ordinary Americans.
“Not even five months after the enactment of the new biofuels mandate, the chickens are coming home to roost. And we literally can’t afford to feed them,” said Drevna. “The price of corn, the source of 97 percent of ethanol in the United States, and also the main ingredient in chicken feed, has tripled over the past two years.”
Photo: Mark Steil / MPR.
Topics: Agriculture, Ethanol, Industry, Legislative, News |
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