AMERICAN THINKER – The planting season for corn is just about closed. As of June 2, this is what the crop looked like for the eight largest corn-producing states with production for the 2016 crop year:
Those eight states account for 74% of U.S. corn production. Based on the percentage planted, production will be down by about 26%, assuming that crop quality remains the same. Estimates from farmers are that the crop will be down by about 30%. Soybeans are similarly affected.
It would be better if we didn’t have to use corn for ethanol. There are many other options for producing ethanol besides corn. Using a food product (yes I know they don’t use the more edible corn varieties) is stupid. Only done to buy Midwestern votes.
Wish the GOP would stop voting for ethanol mandate. Ugh.
Take the Mountain Dew out of my tank, put the tiger back.
Truth be told, I use so little fuel I put marine gas in until I go someplace that makes me fill up on the road.
Liquor’s for drinkin’, gas is for drivin’.
As a city boy I don’t know how this works but doesn’t the mash left over after the alcohol production go to animal feed? How much is lost in the process?
I’m in good company! First four comments were EXACTLY what I was going to say. Ok, maybe not the “Mountain Dew” part, OTD! 😉
GMTA, ya know!
Roman V – the product you’re talking about is called silage. Once its cooked it nutritional value would be gone. The corn they use is field corn which is used as feed for cattle but also other food by products like corn oil, fillers, etc. Ethenol can be derived from products such as switch grass, wood chips, food waste and many other items. Using corn for ethenol production not only raises prices of many consumer products but also uses land that can be otherwise used for growing other human consumables.
Sounds like fast food for cows. Better than nothing but not by much. Thanks.
Roman – As a kid my grandpa used to let me put the ears of corn into his hammermill to make feed for the cows. The husks and stalks (silage) we would bundle up and use as supplemental feed during the winters. Cows loved that stuff but it was low in nutrients compared to the corn. But thats how we still got good milk during the winter when there was no grass to graze on.
Roman V, you are correct. Once the sugar is extracted it is fed.
Once the sugar is extracted it is bulk filler. Nutrients are gone.
Note to you folks feeding your pets. Use quality foods and stay away from cheap brands that don’t use whole grain products. Some of your name brand food makers use by products as filler from the ethanol producers because they are more interested in profit than your animals health. Do your pets a favor and read up on Sulfur Toxicity. Some of the large beef producers do the same thing. Ethanol by product is a garbage profit stretcher and nothing more.
Isn’t ethanol wrecking engines anyway?
MJA, yes, especially older vehicles and small engines (lawnmowers,etc). Destroys rubber parts. Attracts water out of the air and decreases milage because it doesn’t burn as efficiently as gasoline. A friend owns a mower dealership and repair facility and his busiest times of year are spring and beginning of winter due to water being absorbed into the gasoline during storage. I no longer buy gas more than a gallon at a time for my lawnmower and I run it and my snowblower dry at the end of the season for storage. If you use Sta-Bil or similar additives you have to be sure it formulated for alcohol blend fuels.
Also the newer 15% blends they want to bring out will be disastrous to all small engines and also they say any auto/truck pre 2001 will have problems with the e15 blends. Should be fun as I’m not convinced a lot of the newer cars after 2001 can handle the corrosive properties of the e15.
A little while ago the Chinese cancelled all their soybean purchases from Canada because we arrested the Vice-President of Huwaei Electronics on an extradition request from the US and refused Chinese demands to release her. Her pre-trial hearing in Vancouver was scheduled for today. I wonder if they’re looking at the US crop estimates and trying to figure out how to get the Canadian soybeans (and pork) without losing face.
I wonder if the chainese realize they can’t eat rare earth metals.
I figure they’re good for about 30 days, fuel, food, water wise, if the fan meets the fertilizer.
Wondering if that takes into account crop damaged by current flooding in most of those states?