Where Does All the Corn Go?

Gah. (4.00 / 2)

I am pretty much astonished. Flabbergasted. Floored. I had no idea.

Please note: "Glucose and dextrose" is another name for corn syrup, which is made from corn starch.

I'm torn. Should I give up corn and corn meal? Nobody would care or notice if I did, but honestly, that breakdown repulses me.

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by: count @ Mon Jan 04, 2010 at 11:36:48 AM UTC

Jeesus 30.83 for fuel alchohol??!!!! (4.00 / 3)

And that's at only a 10% mandate. I have to assume that the 15% mandate that the distillers want would bump that up to 45%? Increase the demand by federal mandate by 50%, and even with promising new technology like algae and other types of ethanol and methanol production, corn's still fastest out of the gate to supply the sudden increase in demand. Not the least of which reason would be because of all the corn ethanol plants that are idling around the country.

Scary, not only for what it would do to the existing machinery, but what it would do to feed and food prices.

If the ethanol mandate for 15% were to go into effect, not only would it tank most of the gas powered cars and trucks (which would put me out of a job in the tile and stone contracting business) but it would force me into farming with the tractor instead of the rototiller. Our tillers run on gasoline, and I might be able to get airplane fuel (which has an exemption from the ethanol mandate), assuming I can even get into the airport out here in Mulino. But barring airplane fuel, they'll be done, and we flat out don't have the money to buy a brand new tiller.

Thank God the tractor runs on diesel and can run on any ammount of biodiesel with very little modification. Which also means that instead of using around 5 gallons of gasoline/year to run the tiller, I'll be buying 50-100 gallons of diesel/year to run the tractor. Nice.

Oh well, at least when I'm on the tractor I'm sitting down as opposed to walking behind the tiller.....

I agree with you, that the other 44% has got to be feed. And don't think that it's only going to feed cattle in a feed lot or chickens and swine in a confinement grow operation. Most animal feed has corn in it. Even dog and cat foods. My emus eat corn, the horses eat corn (well only when they're getting wormed or as treats, but still....), the chickens eat corn, etc. In addition to all of the animals being raised for meat in CAFOs, an awful lot of animals being kept by people like me as well as hobbyists are feeding corn to their animals.

Also, I think the bulk of what the feedlot cattle are fed isn't corn. I'll bet that there are other components of the cattles' feed that would come before corn on the ingredient list.

Regarding locavores as elitists - explain to me how supporting local business is elitist....

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by: Joanne Rigutto @ Mon Jan 04, 2010 at 11:39:18 AM UTC

Sometimes I lose hope... (0.00 / 0)

Vote for yourself at www.ni4d.us!

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by: rossl @ Mon Jan 04, 2010 at 20:07:39 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Why do you say that? nt (4.00 / 3)

Regarding locavores as elitists - explain to me how supporting local business is elitist....

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by: Joanne Rigutto @ Mon Jan 04, 2010 at 21:23:55 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Those mandates (4.00 / 1)

The mess we're in with ethanol and politicians are only making it worse.

I didn't mean to sound too depressing!

Vote for yourself at www.ni4d.us!

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by: rossl @ Wed Jan 06, 2010 at 00:48:36 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

No problem (4.00 / 1)

After I posted that comment I thought that might have been what you were talking about.

One thing to remember, every time you figure out one problem, another will pop up to keep ya busy. It's the way of the world my friend.... ;-)

Regarding locavores as elitists - explain to me how supporting local business is elitist....

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by: Joanne Rigutto @ Wed Jan 06, 2010 at 02:40:16 AM UTC

[ Parent ]