Corn Commentary

Anti-ethanol baton passes to USA Today

The well-oiled anti-ethanol lobby apparently called the editors of USA Today and told them it was their turn today to jump on the attack, with a story on a weeks-old RAND Corporation report questioning the cost benefits of E85 fuel. A few points to consider:

First, the science and technology behind biofuels and other alternatives is constantly shifting and improving, so such studies only offer a shapshot view of little to no real value.

Second, some aspects of researching and developing any and all non-petroleum alternatives are difficult to quantify in an economic sense. A brief look at whether E85 may or may not cost more to a consumer is only a look at one side of an issue that has so many other dimensions of more significance.

The RAND report is called a “working paper.” We hope they will keep working to improve it and we would refer them to ethanolfacts.com or the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition.