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ethanol 
Wed Oct 08, 2008 at 07:05:14 AM PDT
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Yesterday, I had an article up on Alternet called Corporations have big plans to profit from global warming. My worry isn't so much the obvious companies this title might evoke, like Exxon Mobil. We all know they are evil. I am worried about Monsanto, ADM, and Bayer. These companies are presenting themselves as the SOLUTION TO global warming, but actually they are part of the problem. The US is trying to get off oil, but we're trying to get ON ethanol. That's bad.
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Sat Sep 27, 2008 at 10:52:39 AM PDT
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( - promoted by Jill Richardson)
Thursday, in John McCain's speech to the Clinton Global Initiative, made while he claimed to have suspended his campaign, he said again that he opposed agricultural subsidies and would end them. Last night, during the debate, he said he opposed ethanol subsidies.
True, but so what?
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Fri Aug 08, 2008 at 11:35:41 AM PDT
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The "debate" over ethanol continues - if you can call an argument in which enormous, polluting corporations with stakes in either side of the issue fight using astroturf groups as proxies a debate. Texas obviously took the pro-factory farm/junk food side of the fight, asking the EPA to let them out of using the required amount of ethanol as fuel. The EPA said no.
(Washington, DC - August 7, 2008) Following extensive analysis, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Stephen L. Johnson today announced his decision to deny a request submitted by the State of Texas to reduce the nationwide Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS). As a result, the required total volume of renewable fuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel, mandated by law to be blended into the fuel supply will remain at 9 billion gallons in 2008 and 11.1 billion gallons in 2009.
"After reviewing the facts, it was clear this request did not meet the criteria in the law," said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson. "The RFS remains an important tool in our ongoing efforts to reduce America's greenhouse gas emissions and lessen our dependence on foreign oil, in aggressive yet practical ways."
Current law authorizes EPA to waive the national RFS if the agency determines that the mandated biofuel volumes would cause "severe harm" to the economy or the environment.
Monsanto and companies like ADM that make money from selling farmers seeds and fertilizers and then processing corn into ethanol are pro-ethanol. Those who suffer from higher commodity prices oppose ethanol. I'm not even sure which side to take in this. I oppose ethanol, but I'm not thrilled about oil either. And I certainly don't have a dog in the Monsanto vs. Grocery Manufacturers fight. Why aren't we pursuing solar and wind more aggressively?
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Mon Aug 04, 2008 at 19:23:50 PM PDT
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Bigger is always better, isn't it? Big cars, big houses, big business, big farms. If you were big, you made more money. Clearly, that is the way of the world. When Europeans colonized the Americas, they wanted more land - not some of it, all of it. Napoleon wanted more land. Nothing stopped him until Waterloo.
So, do you think that the human race, has reached our Waterloo? Have we finally hit the wall with our never-ending desire for "bigness"? I decided years ago that I didn't want my farming operation to get bigger. I liked milking 45 cows, raising their feed and doing a little direct marketing.
I liked being small.
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Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 08:00:00 AM PDT
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I just find this funny. All of these nasty multinationals are taking sides in a big fight over ethanol. One one side, ADM, DuPont, and Monsanto. They call themselves "Alliance for Abundant Food and Energy." On the other side, the Grocery Manufacturers' Association, who is trying to get environmental groups on its side to oppose ethanol.
Oh boy, how can I ever pick a side? It's like being asked to choose between Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Osama bin Ladin. I don't like either.
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Thu Jul 24, 2008 at 21:47:38 PM PDT
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(I'm thrilled to have Farm Bill Girl & George Naylor's contributions appearing on our site! George lives in Iowa (which as you know recently flooded) so I can imagine he's got a lot going on and I'm grateful he took the time to contribute to this diary! - promoted by OrangeClouds115)
This oped was a collaboration between me and George Naylor, an Iowa corn and soybean farmer and past president of the National Family Farm Coalition. George was featured in Michael Pollan's book "Omnivore's Dilemma."
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Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 07:00:00 AM PDT
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This Wednesday, the House Education & Labor committee held a hearing on the rising cost of food and its impact on child nutrition programs. The chair, Rep. Miller (D-CA), kicked it off with a statement and then the first witness took the floor: Scott Faber of the Grocery Manufacturer's Association.
Here is a man who represents Archer Daniels Midland, Bumble Bee, Cadbury, Campbell Soup, Cargill, Chicken of the Sea, Chiquita, Coca-Cola, ConAgra, Dannon, Dean Foods, Del Monte, Dial, Dole, Dr. Pepper Snapple, General Mills, Georgia-Pacific, Gerber, Heinz, Hershey, Hormel, Smucker, Johnsonville Sausages, Kellogg, Kikkoman, Kraft, Land O'Lakes, Mars, Nestlé, PepsiCo, Proctor & Gamble, Safeway, Sara Lee, Sargento, Sunny Delight, Target, Unilever, and Welch, just to name a few of his organization's members. I am sorry but I just can't bring myself to believe that any of these companies are motivated by compassion for the poor.
Yet here is their representative, boo-hooing to Congress about the disproportionate burden high food prices places on the poor (oh and did he mention his concern for the environment?) unless Congress goes along with the GMA's agenda.
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