http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070309/crop_report.html?.v=9

AP
Demand for Corn Driving Up Meat Prices
Friday March 9, 11:47 am ET
By Libby Quaid, AP Food and Farm Writer
Strong Demand for Corn From Ethanol Plants Is Driving Up the Cost of Livestock
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Strong demand for corn from ethanol plants is driving up the cost of livestock and will raise prices for beef, pork and chicken, the Agriculture Department said Friday.Meat and poultry production will fall as producers face higher feed costs, the department said in its monthly crop report. Ethanol fuel, which is blended with gasoline, is consuming 20 percent of last year's corn crop and is expected to gobble up more than 25 percent of this year's crop....



Alternative fuels are great but unrestrained consumption is still the main concern for me.

-Fred

 

Exactly!

Ethanol only leads to higher food prices.

I can buy in to ethanol, but only if there is a serious effort to reduce over-consumption of gasoline.

The immorality of over-consumption ought to be obvious, but apparently it is not, judging from the average American's vehicle buying habits.

Harry

 

Yes, my cost for corn is expected to be much higher next year. I burned 2 tons of corn this year and even if I end up paying 6 dollars a bushel, I'll still be saving money over my regular gas bill.

 

Challenger, please elaborte. Do you "burn corn" as ethanol, or in a corn stove to heat your house?

This story is not completely on the mark.

For every 10 pounds of corn that goes into an ethanol plant, 7 pounds comes back out in the form of cattle feed or even dog food.

Ethanol plants only remove the sugar from the corn. Most corn is about 30% sugar. The protiens and fats go right out a conveyor on the far side of the plant where farmers LINE UP to get VERY CHEAP and highly nutritious livestock feed. Since only the sugar is removed, the vitamins and minerals for the most part remain. And any farmer will tell you, a pound of fat puts more meat on a steer than a pound of carbohydrate ( sugars & starch ).

Farmers of large animals love being close to ethanol plants.
I don't know about chickens.
But CONTRARY to popular belief, ethanol production does not lead to a food shortage.

FYI did you know only 3% of the world-wide crop of grapes is used for food? 97% of all grapes are used for wine. Wine's #1 ingredient is water. Wine's #2 ingredient is.... ethanol!

-John