SD Corn

As the world witnessed the worst oil spill of mankind during the last few months in the Gulf of Mexico, environmental journalists seemingly ignored the manmade disaster and directed their attention towards farmers. Corn farmers to be exact, those same people working every day to provide the world with food, feed, fuel and fiber are the problem according to folks from the Environmental Working Group, National Resource Defense Council and Grist Magazine to name a few.

A hot subject in the agriculture blame game is that corn production is the cause of the “Dead Zone,” or hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico.  Yes, hypoxia is present in the Gulf, but this is a very complex issue in which a number of factors contribute including industrial emissions, residential lawn runoff and sewage likely play an equal role. But, to literally ignore the oil spill while over exaggerating the cause and effects of Gulf Hypoxia seems…well, ignorant.

So when seemingly endless articles are published by these groups referencing each other’s articles, one starts to wonder about their true agenda, especially during a time of disaster. Wouldn’t a “real” environmental journalist report on the effects of spilled oil that will last for decades?  Or is something or someone directing these attacks?

Let’s shed some truth on this subject:

U.S. farmers apply 41% less nitrogen per bushel of corn since 1980

U.S. farmers apply 53% less phosphate per bushel of corn since 1980

Many farmers are now using no-till practices limiting erosion and run-off

Some scientists claim the “dead zones” are shrinking in last few years as farmers have produced record corn crops

American farmers, the “True Environmentalists” care for their land and continue to provide an abundant, high quality and safe food supply while caring for our natural resources year after year. But as they sweat, bleed and bust their back, they are being continuously ripped apart by folks who have never set foot on a farm.

How about this proposition…everyone who puts down our countries farmers should be required to raise and eat their own food. Not to worry, they’re experts on the subject, right?

In discussing the Pro’s and Con’s of ethanol, a hot topic is always how much water it takes to produce a gallon. It might sound alarming at the time, but it never hurts to look further into the matter.

“There’s too much attention on water usage by ethanol plants,” says Sangwon Suh, assistant professor, Bioproducts/Biosystems Engineering, University of Minnesota.

Ever increasing improvements in technology have allowed ethanol plants to use less than 4 gallons of water/gallon of ethanol today, down from 10 gallons a couple of decade ago.

Below are a few examples of water usage that should put things in perspective:

One latte = 53 gallons

One cotton t-shirt = 400 gallons

One barrel (32 gallons) of beer = 1,500 gallons

One pair of blue jeans = 1,800 gallons

One ton of steel = 62,000 gallons

The amount of water needed to produce a gallon of conventional oil can be anywhere between 3-5 gallons of water on average. Oil produced from tar sands, like in Canada (where the United States gets a majority of its oil), uses eight gallons of water per gallon of oil doubling that of corn ethanol.

In most cases, an ethanol plant’s process water is not discharged from the facility, but recycled and reused by the boilers. Water that does leave the plant is treated and reused elsewhere or may leave the plant as part of the byproduct called distillers wet grain, a high protein livestock feed.

Biotechnology is also improving our future water use in the development of drought tolerant corn, which would cut down on the amount of irrigated acres. Although the National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimates that 96 percent of all the corn used in ethanol production already comes from non-irrigated acres.

Renewable Fuels Association President, Bob Dinneen, said, “Ethanol producers are investing in new technologies that reduce water use, improve efficiency, and employ feedstocks in addition to grain for ethanol production.”

This increase in ethanol efficiency is providing a cost-effective, home-grown, renewable fuel giving consumers freedom of choice at the pump to both better our environment and economy.

The United States hit a record rate of ethanol production when they averaged 761,000 barrels of ethanol per day this last November. The record is an increase of 93,000 barrels per day since November of 2008. Ethanol demand also reached a record high of 781,000 barrels per day.

The new ethanol record could be attributed to the record corn crop raised this last fall. With the increased corn yields, farmers are growing more with less. Thus proves that farmers are capable of both feeding and fueling America’s growing population.

While the production and demand of ethanol are on the rise, the demand for oil seems to be on a downward slope.

A report came out Sunday from KansasCity.com saying that the demand for oil in the United States is falling and has been for some time. Oil demand peaked in 2007 and has been declining ever since. Experts, including Oil Execs, say they don’t expect that demand to ever recover. The article suggested that alternative fuels, like ethanol, will grow enough to meet any future increase in demand for automotive fuel.

Ethanol, a home-grown, clean burning, renewable fuel is helping the United States lessen its dependence from foreign oil, especially oil imported from countries with a history of terrorist activity. Ethanol is providing good jobs across rural America, decreasing green house gas emissions, supporting local economies and lowering our trade deficit.