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The Choice: Feed Your Family or Feed Your Car?

Take Part -- Promoting ethanol as an alternative fuel may not be as good of an idea as it once seemed.

U.S. livestock and poultry producers have asked that the federal Environmental Protection Agency waive for the first time the required use of ethanol in U.S. gasoline....

The Guardian said, “research published last week by the New England Complex Systems Institute [Necsi] warned of an ‘imminent food crisis’ because of the diversion of corn stocks to ethanol.

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Submitted Jul 31, 2012 By: leemun

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honda0105 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:18,650 Points:1,612,445 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Aug 3, 2012 4:59:32 AM Ignore honda0105 Report Abuse EtOH from food product(s) was never a good idea. And it never will be.
treeguy Veteran Author Wisconsin Posts:268 Points:656,635 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2012 10:32:43 PM Ignore treeguy Report Abuse For a moment, after reading the headline, I thought this article was going to be about the general economic situation of Middle Class America.
the1roadhog Champion Author Atlanta Posts:9,913 Points:2,058,530 Joined:Jun 2007	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2012 8:01:44 AM Ignore the1roadhog Report Abuse Ethanol was a bad idea then and still is now.
jrs4125 Champion Author Indiana Posts:2,773 Points:594,670 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2012 4:26:18 AM Ignore jrs4125 Report Abuse Good article. Ethanol made from corn........ bad idea to start with.
SparkieMi Champion Author Kalamazoo Posts:3,277 Points:591,330 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2012 12:46:24 AM Ignore SparkieMi Report Abuse Many good posts....
Cableman66 Champion Author North Carolina Posts:2,125 Points:493,620 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 11:23:40 PM Ignore Cableman66 Report Abuse Old news
LanguageMan1 Champion Author Tampa Posts:11,738 Points:1,664,715 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 11:22:26 PM Ignore LanguageMan1 Report Abuse This is part of what I've been saying for the last few years, especially since 2008 and 2009. Whenever the price is down, realize it's not going to stay down! Plus, when bread get's to be $5 a loaf or $10 a loaf, or eggs for $5 or $10 for a dozen, don't say I didn't warn you! It's going to happen! Maybe not within the next few months, but give it a year or two or even three and it'll be there! Don't buy into the bull that the media and government and analysts are trying to feed you either, that food prices will only rise three to five percent next year. They've already gone up, by over five percent overall in the last few months, and they'll go up another five to 10% before the year is out, and then they'll rise more next year. [Edited by: LanguageMan1 at 8/1/2012 12:24:09 AM EST]
ican2step Champion Author Pittsburgh Posts:1,696 Points:430,325 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 11:16:11 PM Ignore ican2step Report Abuse Family ALWAYS comes first. ALWAYS !!!
METEOR49 Champion Author Ontario Posts:2,187 Points:458,150 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 11:12:57 PM Ignore METEOR49 Report Abuse when food is scarce why would anyone contemplate using it for fuel.
jkpsr Champion Author New Jersey Posts:4,094 Points:1,104,830 Joined:Jun 2005	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 11:12:56 PM Ignore jkpsr Report Abuse The use of ethanol as a motor fuel is just plain stupid!
jrschl Champion Author Louisville Posts:2,982 Points:683,990 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 11:12:10 PM Ignore jrschl Report Abuse Family.
rahcat Champion Author Grand Rapids Posts:2,483 Points:665,875 Joined:Jan 2010	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 11:11:52 PM Ignore rahcat Report Abuse Ban ethanol period!
tedjm1 Champion Author New York Posts:5,609 Points:800,300 Joined:Dec 2006	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 11:11:20 PM Ignore tedjm1 Report Abuse Food should be a priority.
etothek Champion Author Pennsylvania Posts:1,658 Points:333,605 Joined:Jun 2012	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 11:10:27 PM Ignore etothek Report Abuse Feed your family.
rollercoaster All-Star Author Hartford Posts:502 Points:567,760 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 11:09:50 PM Ignore rollercoaster Report Abuse wow
NotmeuQc Champion Author Montreal Posts:5,656 Points:1,135,775 Joined:Apr 2009	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 11:09:15 PM Ignore NotmeuQc Report Abuse My stomach comes first, so I say feed the family. I love my corn on the cob and I know they don't use this corn for ethanol, but they do use feed corn, and I also love my meat.
txkrb Champion Author Texas Posts:1,564 Points:640,110 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 11:09:00 PM Ignore txkrb Report Abuse Need to reduce ethanol use (not eliminate) and stop producing ethanol from food crops
Taurus1 Champion Author Ohio Posts:3,140 Points:1,677,175 Joined:Apr 2006	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 11:08:48 PM Ignore Taurus1 Report Abuse The animals need feed, we eat corn, it doesn't need to go in gas.
Number43 Champion Author Lexington Posts:8,708 Points:1,640,120 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 11:07:58 PM Ignore Number43 Report Abuse Forget ethanol in gas, it's a bad idea. Make ethanol from something other than corn if you have to use it.
millerin Champion Author Orlando Posts:2,322 Points:483,915 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 11:07:06 PM Ignore millerin Report Abuse hmm...
judgemobile Champion Author Ohio Posts:7,585 Points:2,448,060 Joined:Nov 2005	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 11:06:18 PM Ignore judgemobile Report Abuse I need the car to go get food for my family--unless the government offers a subsidy to pay for delivery service--then I would just call in my order.
Beau2140 Champion Author New York Posts:8,311 Points:1,660,085 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 11:06:02 PM Ignore Beau2140 Report Abuse Feed the family.......
Number43 Champion Author Lexington Posts:8,708 Points:1,640,120 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 11:06:00 PM Ignore Number43 Report Abuse Corn is people food.
ManOfLeisureII Champion Author Philadelphia Posts:1,889 Points:457,075 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 11:04:53 PM Ignore ManOfLeisureII Report Abuse Feed the family, feed the car.....lose the cell phone....lose the cable TV
Ray_10589 Champion Author New York Posts:4,961 Points:1,185,910 Joined:May 2009	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 11:04:46 PM Ignore Ray_10589 Report Abuse it's not good for cars ...
joel27nc Champion Author Raleigh Posts:10,552 Points:1,861,295 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 11:02:33 PM Ignore joel27nc Report Abuse Feed the family!
big_mac64 Champion Author Tennessee Posts:10,593 Points:1,485,690 Joined:May 2005	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 10:56:42 PM Ignore big_mac64 Report Abuse No choice really. Corn is food, and we need it to stay that way cuz we need to eat to survive. Ethanol gets lower MPG, does damage to engines (esp small moters like lawnmowers), and isn't needed in our fuel...we can do without!
v8gazguzler Champion Author Ottawa Posts:5,961 Points:887,310 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 10:56:38 PM Ignore v8gazguzler Report Abuse get rid of ethanol in our gas! NOW!
Asbury09 Champion Author Iowa Posts:7,228 Points:1,533,230 Joined:Jan 2009	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 10:54:23 PM Ignore Asbury09 Report Abuse time to pay the piper
camaro_man Champion Author Kitchener-Waterloo Posts:2,247 Points:613,970 Joined:Jun 2010	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 10:52:37 PM Ignore camaro_man Report Abuse wow
SavALot Champion Author Virginia Beach Posts:8,489 Points:1,714,760 Joined:Apr 2005	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 10:51:32 PM Ignore SavALot Report Abuse how realistic is a situation where you would have to make a choice like this?
ferinko Sophomore Author Ontario Posts:139 Points:277,155 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 10:50:52 PM Ignore ferinko Report Abuse eat or drive? that is question... :)
WIPACKERFAN Champion Author Chicago Posts:8,814 Points:1,845,400 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 10:50:26 PM Ignore WIPACKERFAN Report Abuse It's unfortunate that it has come to this. It never should have gotten this far. Put the corn back on the table. Food prices will drop.
Jeeputtputt Champion Author Ohio Posts:3,002 Points:677,465 Joined:Aug 2009	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 10:49:22 PM Ignore Jeeputtputt Report Abuse gotta feed the car to go fishing and hunting
snappytom2 Champion Author Corpus Christi Posts:3,566 Points:275,445 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 10:48:49 PM Ignore snappytom2 Report Abuse Would rather eat than drive any day of the week.
pgerassi Champion Author Milwaukee Posts:10,916 Points:2,135,505 Joined:Apr 2007	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 10:48:19 PM Ignore pgerassi Report Abuse Ban CIFs and you won't have to make the choice, you can feed your family and your compact car. You will still have park your gas guzzling SUV, RV or VAN. Sell it and get a compact car. You will be better off in the long run.
Dodge_Me Champion Author Atlanta Posts:2,214 Points:558,480 Joined:Mar 2006	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 10:47:01 PM Ignore Dodge_Me Report Abuse Duh!
HailstormCA Champion Author San Diego Posts:7,865 Points:1,473,970 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 10:44:14 PM Ignore HailstormCA Report Abuse How can I get to the welfare office if I can't get fuel for my vehicle. I don't even know the way so I know I'll get lost, but I figure I can just follow the crowd.
pgerassi Champion Author Milwaukee Posts:10,916 Points:2,135,505 Joined:Apr 2007	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 10:43:45 PM Ignore pgerassi Report Abuse Also they failed to take into account that corn is of many different grades with the one for consumption as human food being the highest and the one used by ethanol makers is the next to lowest because they only care about the starch content, not color, smell, appearance, uniformity, etc. So even if they stopped buying corn, people won't eat the corn the ethanol makers buy. Hogs and chicken may not care, cattle are a little more discerning. Some grades of corn that are fine for ethanol production won't be eaten by cattle. Livestock feedlots hope that as hogs and chicken eat cheaper lower corn grades, the higher grades will be cheap enough for feedlot operators.
FlyNFool Champion Author South Carolina Posts:8,254 Points:1,687,900 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 10:41:51 PM Ignore FlyNFool Report Abuse F the car!
justmedc Veteran Author Michigan Posts:382 Points:174,495 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 10:39:46 PM Ignore justmedc Report Abuse prefer to feed the kids
gem1224 Champion Author Tulsa Posts:1,541 Points:491,640 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 10:39:31 PM Ignore gem1224 Report Abuse If I don't feed my car I can't feed my family!!
umitb Champion Author Indianapolis Posts:3,692 Points:846,365 Joined:Apr 2010	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 10:39:12 PM Ignore umitb Report Abuse ok
bonzoonfmb Champion Author Florida Posts:1,792 Points:646,535 Joined:Feb 2010	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 10:38:49 PM Ignore bonzoonfmb Report Abuse Stop all ethanol production from corn immediately. Factor such as drought should have been written into the mandates to begin with.
humblepie Champion Author Toledo Posts:34,333 Points:2,374,295 Joined:Mar 2006	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 10:34:32 PM Ignore humblepie Report Abuse how obtuse
clermont40miles Champion Author Cincinnati Posts:10,588 Points:1,774,820 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 10:34:20 PM Ignore clermont40miles Report Abuse Suspend ethanol production from foodstuffs. Permanently. E0.
mstearno Champion Author Dayton Posts:8,080 Points:1,734,140 Joined:Jan 2008	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 10:31:33 PM Ignore mstearno Report Abuse dumb
goodbuy Champion Author Michigan Posts:7,678 Points:1,424,680 Joined:May 2005	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 10:31:15 PM Ignore goodbuy Report Abuse Duplicate article.
pgerassi Champion Author Milwaukee Posts:10,916 Points:2,135,505 Joined:Apr 2007	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 10:30:37 PM Ignore pgerassi Report Abuse What BS by a study paid for by the US Army. The results of that study is the returns from a model where they assume ethanol from corn increases prices because it adds demand without any real justification for that. It also doesn't look at many other factors because they wanted it simplified. Third, it assumes a zero sum game which doesn't actually occur. They also don't take into account interactions between the causes. Another fact is that the subsidy they talk about is gone, the blender credit was revoked in 2011. There are no subsidies for ethanol as of right now. They also fail to take into account that grain prices aren't the only driver of food prices. In 2000, the cost of corn in a $3.39 box of corn flakes was 9 cents, the major price drivers were marketing costs of 102 cents, profits of 93 cents, and stocking charges of 83 cents. Actually making the flakes and boxing them up cost only 61 cents in supplies, manufacture and labor. $2.78 out of $3.39 is 82% of the cost. If anything, todays BS portion on a $4-5 box of flakes is likely higher than that 82% in 2000. Store brands of bagged cut rate cereals cost only 99 cents with perhaps a 5 cent drop in packaging so they still eek out a profit of 25 cents with distribution costs of 18 cents split half and half between the plant owners and the store.
Tekkersmom57 Champion Author Syracuse Posts:1,894 Points:704,115 Joined:May 2010	Message Posted: Jul 31, 2012 10:29:53 PM Ignore Tekkersmom57 Report Abuse Ethanol has been a crazy debate for many years. Lighten up on ethanol during this drought because food is more important on the table. Gas can still be gas without the ethanol and just oil. I prefer 100% gas anyway.