5 ms·

Ethanol is an indirect subsidy to corn farmers at the expense of the environment. Saying that as the son of a corn farmer, who’d agree.

sandworm101 6y ago
There is also a political bend. It isn't just about farmers but the Iowa caucus. No party wants to anger the people who start each presidential race.
jcampbell1 6y ago
I believe ethanol is a complex plot by the Illuminati so the world’s farmers grow excess food to provide insurance against famine without bankrupting said farmers. I’m kidding about the Illuminati part, but it is one hell of a scheme that ensures there is always excess agricultural production.
- jobu 6y ago
  This is actually a good idea (IMO), but the huge problem is that most states have mandated ethanol content required for gasoline, and there's no "circuit breaker" in place when food prices rise dramatically. When corn prices quickly doubled during the Great Recession (2007-2008) we could've stabilized the price by cutting the amount being used for ethanol in gasoline.
  - jasonjayr 6y ago
    ... which would have (probably) spiked the price of gasoline, which may have had other effects. I do not envy the people who have to research, analyze, plan, and execute these policies in complex economies in hard times like that.
- js2 6y ago
  This isn't a conspiracy. It's one of the responsibilities of the Secretary of Agriculture. Here's Earl Butz in 1972: > “One of my responsibilities is to see that we have a continuing adequate food supply, and the best way to assure that is to let farmers make a little money in the process.” https://www.nytimes.com/1972/04/16/archives/up-up-up-butz-makes-hay-down-on-the-farm-butz-makes-hay-down-on-the.html https://www.nytimes.com/1972/04/16/archives/up-up-up-butz-ma...
  - mistrial9 6y ago
    Is this the guy that said "go big or get out" ? or was that later.. (family-sized farms of all kinds across the United States died an ugly death under these policies in the 1970s and 1980s).
    - js2 6y ago
      “Get big or get out.” (“Go big or go home” is a different expression.) That was him. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earl_Butz https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earl_Butz
- abfan1127 6y ago
  its an interesting scheme, only issue is that "human corn" and "ethanol corn" and "feed-lot corn" are very different strains. Human corn is tasty, while the other two taste terrible.
- daddylonglegs 6y ago
  Much of the corn is being grown in a way that erodes the soil and depletes the water reserves being used, compromising our ability to grow crops in those areas in the future. Someone should probably tell the Illuminati.
- medium_burrito 6y ago
  I mean, you aren't wrong- the US is the world's biggest producer of food, oil and natural gas. These are important strategically.

sandworm101 6y ago

There is also a political bend. It isn't just about farmers but the Iowa caucus. No party wants to anger the people who start each presidential race.

jcampbell1 6y ago

I believe ethanol is a complex plot by the Illuminati so the world’s farmers grow excess food to provide insurance against famine without bankrupting said farmers. I’m kidding about the Illuminati part, but it is one hell of a scheme that ensures there is always excess agricultural production.

jobu 6y ago
This is actually a good idea (IMO), but the huge problem is that most states have mandated ethanol content required for gasoline, and there's no "circuit breaker" in place when food prices rise dramatically. When corn prices quickly doubled during the Great Recession (2007-2008) we could've stabilized the price by cutting the amount being used for ethanol in gasoline.
- jasonjayr 6y ago
  ... which would have (probably) spiked the price of gasoline, which may have had other effects. I do not envy the people who have to research, analyze, plan, and execute these policies in complex economies in hard times like that.
js2 6y ago
This isn't a conspiracy. It's one of the responsibilities of the Secretary of Agriculture. Here's Earl Butz in 1972: > “One of my responsibilities is to see that we have a continuing adequate food supply, and the best way to assure that is to let farmers make a little money in the process.” https://www.nytimes.com/1972/04/16/archives/up-up-up-butz-makes-hay-down-on-the-farm-butz-makes-hay-down-on-the.html https://www.nytimes.com/1972/04/16/archives/up-up-up-butz-ma...
- mistrial9 6y ago
  Is this the guy that said "go big or get out" ? or was that later.. (family-sized farms of all kinds across the United States died an ugly death under these policies in the 1970s and 1980s).
  - js2 6y ago
    “Get big or get out.” (“Go big or go home” is a different expression.) That was him. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earl_Butz https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earl_Butz
abfan1127 6y ago
its an interesting scheme, only issue is that "human corn" and "ethanol corn" and "feed-lot corn" are very different strains. Human corn is tasty, while the other two taste terrible.
daddylonglegs 6y ago
Much of the corn is being grown in a way that erodes the soil and depletes the water reserves being used, compromising our ability to grow crops in those areas in the future. Someone should probably tell the Illuminati.
medium_burrito 6y ago
I mean, you aren't wrong- the US is the world's biggest producer of food, oil and natural gas. These are important strategically.