Reply #4: all the protein from the corn goes back into the food chain as feed supplement for cattle.....

[JohnWxy]

80% of the corn grown in the U.S. is fed to cattle and pigs.

Our exports of food have been maintained all the while ethanol production has been growing. There has not been any loss of food production to make ethanol..... no matter what the oil industry, the cattle farmers and AMerican grocery manufacturers would have you believe. NOte that farm commodity costs represent about 19% of the retail price of food at the grocery store.

Ethanol has brought down the price of gas about 15% according to Francisco Blanch, Chief Commodities Strategist for Merrill Lynch. In so doing it has saved drivers in America in 2009 prices about $74 Billion dollars annually in lower gas costs.

In bringing down the cost of gas (petroleum) ethanol also lowered the price of food as energy cost contribute about 12% - 14% to the cost of food (e.g. fuel for transortation, operating machinery on the farm, packaging (a lot of plastic used here)). :)


World Bank admits energy prices were dominant influence in food price rise 2006-2008 not biofuels