Corn Ethanol Facts Aren’t Needle in Haystack
Posted: May 12, 2008
The Grocery Manufacturers Association’s well-funded smear campaign against corn ethanol might just boomerang. We all know their clear-cut goal: rolling back the renewable fuels standard and they have embarked on a massive disinformation campaign to turn the tide of support on renewable energy.
Yet the facts remain and they are being reported in the media. Our media trolling this weekend found these worthwhile stories:
From the Grand Island Independent, a story that points out the crop prices have indeed risen, and so have corn farmers’ costs. For example, compared to a year ago in Nebraska, gasoline prices have risen 45 cents per gallon and diesel has gone up $1.36 per gallon.
Moving over the Omaha, the World-Herald chose to run a story highlighting the efforts of NCGA CEO Rick Tolman who reminds readers ethanol was never intendend to supplant to the entire fuel stream.
The Grand Rapids Press has clearly seen through the hype and furor and reminds its readers that “Painting ethanol as the Dracula of world humanitarian efforts is wrong and dangerous to our economy.” The editorial rightly points to the soaring price of oil, increased global demand, and market speculators as drivers for higher corn prices and demand.
Over in Wisconsin, the Journal Sentinal ran a piece by farmer and Wisconsin Corn Growers Association executive Bob Oelson who shares several unreported facts, and reminds readers that corn ethanol leads us on the path to other renewable fuels.
Outside the Corn Belt and inside the Beltway, the Washington Times reported Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer’s strong stance against UN and other international aid officials who claim ethanol is to blame for a global food crisis. His retort these claims: They are “flat out wrong.”
Don’t be fooled by the GMA. They, too, are suffering from higher transporation and manufacturing costs due to rising oil prices. And you know what? They can’t do anything about that. What they think they can do is reverse the RFS and then still pass along high prices.
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