The E-Xchange — Agriculture
Ethanol Fact Vacuum
Frequently discredited ethanol antagonist Tim Searchinger found a sympathetic ear at the Washington Post which published yet another diatribe against biofuels that is largely devoid of relevant facts. That isn’t surprising given that Mr. Searchinger’s theory of international land use change and the penalty he sought to impose on biofuels has been regularly revised and proven false. His most current attack is simply more of the same, even if somewhat toned down.
Posted in Agriculture, Ethanol, Exports, Production
What USDA WASDE Report Really Means for Ethanol, Corn
The USDA has released its February estimates of U.S. and global grain supplies. Some revisions, all of which were expected, slightly reduce USDA's estimates of leftover corn at the end of the marketing year. Let the wild claims and "alarm bells" ring from ethanol's detractors begin.
Posted in Agriculture, Ethanol, Land Use, Renewable Fuels, Renewable Fuel Standard, USDA
Egypt, Ethanol and Armchair Punditry – Part 1
As millions of Egyptians engage in a life and death struggle for the future of their country, pundits in the Western media are taking the opportunity to blame all of their favorite scapegoats for the insecurity. American ethanol production is not escaping their wrath. As has always been the case, the “facts” used by these pundits just don’t match the world reality.
Ethanol, Corn Supply, and Those Who Cry Wolf
The final USDA report on the size of the 2010 corn crop and subsequent supply is out. Not surprisingly, USDA has adjusted its final estimates to reflect increased ethanol demand, the importance of distillers grains and other feed coproducts, and the difficult growing season American farmers endured. Right on cue, prolific End of Days prognosticators like Lester Brown of the Earth Policy Institute are pointing the finger of blame at ethanol for lower than expected corn supplies. But, as is always the case, there are far more factors that must be considered.
Posted in Agriculture, Ethanol, USDA
NPR: Lop-sided and Outdated. Where’s Big Oil?
As NPR is still reeling from the November congressional and public outcry to bar local public radio stations from using taxpayer dollars to purchase NPR programing as a result of perceived bias in “reporting”, it is very surprising that NPR would then turn around and run a lop-sided and at times miserably outdated series on ethanol as produced by Harvest Public Media. After listening and reading the past two days’ “reports”, a number of items need to be addressed.
Posted in Agriculture, Ethanol, Environment, Jobs, Oil, Production
Al Gore’s Flip-flop on Ethanol, He Had it Right the First Time
Speaking at a green energy business conference in Athens, former vice president Al Gore declared “it is not good policy to have subsidies for (U.S.) first-generation ethanol.” Explaining his earlier support for grain ethanol, Gore said he had “paid particular attention to the farmers in my home state of Tennessee, and I had a particular fondness for farmers in the state of Iowa because I was about to run for President.”
Posted in Agriculture, Ethanol, Production
ILUC: Real World Results Vs. Economic Theory
Since a polemic paper from environmental attorney Tim Searchinger was released in February 2008, a false notion that American ethanol production from grain was leading to Brazilian rainforest destruction has permeated discussions around ethanol's environmental contributions. Now, a team of researchers from the Department of Energy have analyzed real world data from the period of greatest American ethanol expansion and found this notion to be without merit.
Posted in Agriculture, Brazil, Ethanol, Environment, Land Use, Renewable Fuels, Research, U.S Dept. of Energy
As Before, “Food vs Fuel” Arguments Strike Out
Last Friday’s USDA Crop Production and WASDE reports, which slashed estimates for the 2010 corn crop and average yield, sent the anti-biofuels crowd scurrying to find their trusty “Food vs. Fuel” playbooks. The alarmist rhetoric over the past several days seems virtually cut and pasted from the raft of doomsday press releases and manufactured “studies” that cluttered the media channels in 2008 when record oil prices and rampant speculation pushed grain prices to unprecedented levels and food prices to the highest levels in recent memory. For opponents of ethanol and beneficiaries of cheap corn, pointing the finger at biofuels has become the reflexive knee-jerk response any time grain prices start to rise.
Posted in Agriculture, Ethanol, Production, USDA
White House Underscores Ethanol Support at RFA Annual Meeting
Deputy Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change Policy Heather Zichal reiterated the commitment of the Obama Administration to the entire ethanol industry regardless of technology or feedstock at RFA's Annual Membership Meeting this week. Specifically, Zichal highlighted the Administration's support of existing ethanol policy, including the tax incentive in its current form, as well as its commitment to ethanol technologies of every kind.
Posted in Agriculture, E15, Ethanol, EPA, Environment, Renewable Fuels, Renewable Fuel Standard, VEETC
They’re Baaack: Speculators Return to Grain Markets En Masse
Not since the commodity prices spikes of 2008 have speculators held such a prominent role in grain markets. But, as a review of the data demonstrates, the speculators are back in a big way and just waiting for the opportunity to artificially inflate corn and other commodity prices.
Posted in Agriculture, Ethanol, Research
5 Billion Gallon Challenge Isn’t As Clean as it Seems
The growth and commercialization of next generation biofuels is essential to the long term success of America’s ethanol industry. This success does not need to come at the expense of current technologies. The RFA does not believe that U.S. biofuel policy should be crafted in a manner that jeopardizes the tremendous advances that have come from the investment our nation has made in renewable fuels or causes cannibalization in the industry. It is true that we need to support and promote the growth of next generation biofuels in order to become energy independent and to combat global warming. However, this will not be achieved by pitting different sectors of the industry against one another or abandoning support for one sector of the industry for another when the entire industry needs support as long as we continue to provide permanent tax breaks to oil producers.
Posted in Agriculture, Ethanol, Energy, Fuel, Renewable Fuels, Renewable Fuel Standard, U.S Dept. of Energy, USDA, VEETC, Water
Environmentalist Expose Big Oil’s Record of Destruction…Finally
Many people, including me, have been puzzled by the silence, or at least perceived silence, of the environmental community over the oil spill in the Gulf. As millions of gallons of oil kill ocean life and ruin coastlines, many in the environmental community seem oddly muted in their protest. Finally, the National Wildlife Federation is exposing the record of spills, accidents and other incidences that have released countless gallons of oil into the environment all across the country since 2000…all while a new oil spill in Michigan highlights the risk of oil to all parts of the country.
Posted in Agriculture, E-Xchange, Ethanol, Energy, Environment
Corn Commentary Takes on the Gray Lady
East Coast media has long had disdain for agriculture, and by extension, ethanol. Much of this dislike stems from a fundamental lack of understanding about the industries and issues important to rural America. While the Wall Street Journal has long been the standard bearer for such vitriol, when it comes to ethanol, the New York Times doesn't fall too far behind. The Times' latest anti-ethanol effort is disguised as a choice between good and bad energy subsidies. The Times argues that subsidies for wind and solar are critical to those industries' survival and our nation's goal of reduced oil consumption (we don't use oil to produce electricity, by the way). The Times then says investments in ethanol, which does replace oil directly in American gas tanks, is unworthy. To be clear, we should be increasing investments in all renewable energies, not picking and choosing winners. Supporting its position, the Times relies on many of the canards offered by ethanol critics about environmental concerns and land usage. My friends over at the Corn Commentary take exception with the Gray Lady's portrayal and perception of ethanol, and offer a rebuttal. Worth a read.
Posted in Agriculture, Ethanol, Energy, Environment, Fuel, Land Use, Media, VEETC
RFA Attends Ag Media Summit
Earlier this week, I attended the 12th Annual Agriculture Media Summit which took place at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on the Riverfront in St. Paul, MN. Here, numerous journalists, editors, photographers, publishers and communicator specialists in agriculture gathered to network with those in their industry and promote and enhance the viability of agriculture media as an effective and efficient communications medium. This year seemed to have a large focus on the social media world. It was hash tag (#) galore at #AgMS with people tweeting to win prizes like the iPad, updating their followers of their location or highlighting the new skills and applications that had been discussed during the breakout sessions.
Posted in Agriculture, Media
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