Also...feeding corn to cattle AKA a high energy ration...decreases the pH of the rumen and increases the risk of Shiga Toxin E. coli. Really...it is not that good for dairy or beef cattle. As for swine...in order for them to digest it, it has to be ground perfectly. Too coarse, it goes right thru, to fine and it gives them ulcers (which is true of any feedstock for them).
Another brilliant analysis from Chris. Corn may seem like Iowa's gold mine today but the true cost, in soil destruction and water pollution, will be devastating. Beware the Midas touch...
Pillaging the countryside for profit is nothing new. The people against Summit's carbon capture pipelines mention possible future asphyxiation for those nearby the pipelines, but not in its direct path. Those in the direct path, they're not exactly protected either, are they? Yeah, leaks and bursts never happens with pipelines. The amount of water required from aquifers to capture that carbon is ignored.
Just last week, an ethanol-producing facility in northeast Iowa expelled excessive pollutants into the air for several years that can cause cancers and other health effects, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. “Actual harm to the environment and public health likely occurred,” the department said in a recent administrative order regarding POET Bioprocessing near Shell Rock. Nice.
Iowans are being subjected to harm while polluters get a giant pass. Money talks and both parties are willing to ignore sound science regarding air and water quality. Shameful and deeply immoral.
Lots of good writing here. Is it any wonder everyone likes to joke about not being good at math? Or joke, when will I ever need algebra? It makes the corporate propaganda easier when people are told to be stupid and just “believe”
Nice article. The economics of corn ethanol has always been sketchy, I remember Cornell saying so back then. But NY grows 1 million acres of corn and most of that is for silage. I think I read Iowa does about 13 million.
Although it would be better for soil erosion and nitrogen losses, switchgrass would still require a lot of N and some P and K as soil levels were drawn down. Would probably develop diseases too with extensive monoculture.
You are right about perennials not being a lucrative crop for retailers. Dairy's and feedlots now revolve around corn. In many ways, not good. Very large dairies in semi-arid regions feeding corn silage grown under center pivot irrigation water pulled from ancient aquifers is bordering on criminal. 18,000 cows under one roof burning up in a fire is criminal.
I don't buy the whole methane emissions BS from ruminants and the anti meat agenda, but we can do better.
Corn ethanol, riding the tail of our fatal oil addiction. It is American only in the way of discounting the future to keep the wheels on the hard road today. 'Sustainable' it ain't. 'Choice' ain't forced. 'Renewable' ain't dependent on oil.
Thanks Chris for continuing the yeoman's work of taking the Cornholians to task with facts, data, history, much of which is ignored, at our peril. Maybe we will finally get to arid, dead Mars someday (why, for Christs sake?) after spending a trillion dollars, and get to rooting around in the soil and turn up a combine head, Cat dozer, or F150 if we might say "hmmmm, something to be said for not roasting the atmosphere off the place , huh?"
I forgot about the short-lived switchgrass-as-energy-source program. Growing thousands of acres of switchgrass would also have the side benefits of REALLY being renewable, preventing soil erosion, and providing habitat, at least for part of the year. And keeping a zillion pounds of nitrate out of the water, and carbon sequestration, and...........well, Farm Bureau, the Legislature, Governor Handmaiden and Ag Lobbyists ( but I repeat myself) ain't having it. Feedin' the World, don't ya know.
Thanks for the quantitative analysis. Comparing bushels to gallons is like the psychological finger on the ethanol-corn scale. Let's not forget the fuel tax payers used for travel to work so we could fund agriculture pollution.
Another good job by Iowa's leading scientist. I'll be saving this as a PDF in my ethanol analysis folder. Great detail and reasoning. Maybe Dr. Jones is an economist. Bravo!
Love you Chris and Jess! Thanks for bringing the huge and terrible impact of industrial agriculture to more light.
If anyone wants to laugh, get mad, and learn other absurdities on this topic, check out John Oliver’s Last Week Tonight on the topic of “Corn” earlier this year. Find it on YouTube
Also...feeding corn to cattle AKA a high energy ration...decreases the pH of the rumen and increases the risk of Shiga Toxin E. coli. Really...it is not that good for dairy or beef cattle. As for swine...in order for them to digest it, it has to be ground perfectly. Too coarse, it goes right thru, to fine and it gives them ulcers (which is true of any feedstock for them).
Corn removed three days before slaughter reduces the risk of E. coli by 99.5%.
I loved your opening statement, "Advertising sells a product; propaganda sells an idea".
Another brilliant analysis from Chris. Corn may seem like Iowa's gold mine today but the true cost, in soil destruction and water pollution, will be devastating. Beware the Midas touch...
Pillaging the countryside for profit is nothing new. The people against Summit's carbon capture pipelines mention possible future asphyxiation for those nearby the pipelines, but not in its direct path. Those in the direct path, they're not exactly protected either, are they? Yeah, leaks and bursts never happens with pipelines. The amount of water required from aquifers to capture that carbon is ignored.
Just last week, an ethanol-producing facility in northeast Iowa expelled excessive pollutants into the air for several years that can cause cancers and other health effects, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. “Actual harm to the environment and public health likely occurred,” the department said in a recent administrative order regarding POET Bioprocessing near Shell Rock. Nice.
Iowans are being subjected to harm while polluters get a giant pass. Money talks and both parties are willing to ignore sound science regarding air and water quality. Shameful and deeply immoral.
Thank you, Chris. You always say the things that need to be said.
Lots of good writing here. Is it any wonder everyone likes to joke about not being good at math? Or joke, when will I ever need algebra? It makes the corporate propaganda easier when people are told to be stupid and just “believe”
Nice article. The economics of corn ethanol has always been sketchy, I remember Cornell saying so back then. But NY grows 1 million acres of corn and most of that is for silage. I think I read Iowa does about 13 million.
Although it would be better for soil erosion and nitrogen losses, switchgrass would still require a lot of N and some P and K as soil levels were drawn down. Would probably develop diseases too with extensive monoculture.
You are right about perennials not being a lucrative crop for retailers. Dairy's and feedlots now revolve around corn. In many ways, not good. Very large dairies in semi-arid regions feeding corn silage grown under center pivot irrigation water pulled from ancient aquifers is bordering on criminal. 18,000 cows under one roof burning up in a fire is criminal.
I don't buy the whole methane emissions BS from ruminants and the anti meat agenda, but we can do better.
Corn ethanol, riding the tail of our fatal oil addiction. It is American only in the way of discounting the future to keep the wheels on the hard road today. 'Sustainable' it ain't. 'Choice' ain't forced. 'Renewable' ain't dependent on oil.
Thanks Chris for continuing the yeoman's work of taking the Cornholians to task with facts, data, history, much of which is ignored, at our peril. Maybe we will finally get to arid, dead Mars someday (why, for Christs sake?) after spending a trillion dollars, and get to rooting around in the soil and turn up a combine head, Cat dozer, or F150 if we might say "hmmmm, something to be said for not roasting the atmosphere off the place , huh?"
I forgot about the short-lived switchgrass-as-energy-source program. Growing thousands of acres of switchgrass would also have the side benefits of REALLY being renewable, preventing soil erosion, and providing habitat, at least for part of the year. And keeping a zillion pounds of nitrate out of the water, and carbon sequestration, and...........well, Farm Bureau, the Legislature, Governor Handmaiden and Ag Lobbyists ( but I repeat myself) ain't having it. Feedin' the World, don't ya know.
thanks for following the column Kevin!
Thanks for the quantitative analysis. Comparing bushels to gallons is like the psychological finger on the ethanol-corn scale. Let's not forget the fuel tax payers used for travel to work so we could fund agriculture pollution.
Did you know that Iowans import 90% of the food they eat? All that beautiful black dirt used for cow and pig feed.
Our Department of Agriculture has made some sketchy decisions on a regular basis, but this is just wrong.
Another good job by Iowa's leading scientist. I'll be saving this as a PDF in my ethanol analysis folder. Great detail and reasoning. Maybe Dr. Jones is an economist. Bravo!
4-H Clubs?! The indoctrination starts YOUNG!
You damn right it does. I could tell you stories...
Love you Chris and Jess! Thanks for bringing the huge and terrible impact of industrial agriculture to more light.
If anyone wants to laugh, get mad, and learn other absurdities on this topic, check out John Oliver’s Last Week Tonight on the topic of “Corn” earlier this year. Find it on YouTube
Oliver's thing is great!
Thank you for sharing!!!
Wow this was interesting- learned so much about this issue. Keep educating us Jess - good stuff!
From Alberta Canada i see the same push for biofuels and unproven energy tech that wont interupt our oil and gas profits. Thanks for this.