Stephanie's Comments

Thank you everyone for your comments. To address some of the points made by Jeff and Gary, I would like to highlight this article, published today by Argonne National Lab researcher, Forrest Jehlik, which addresses the top 5 myths about ethanol (including emissions and mileage) http://www.wired.com/autopia/2011/06/five-ethanol-myths-busted-2/

Steven,

Did you know that there are already 8 million flex fuel cars on the road today? And that the US automakers have already volunteered to make up to 90 percent of their fleet flex fuel by 2015?

A flex fuel vehicle gives the consumer more choice than he has now. With a flex fuel vehicle, you can choose conventional gasoline or you can choose an ethanol blend.

If you do not want to use ethanol, Growth Energy supports your decision, but for those who want a cleaner earth, stronger economy and safer nation, flex fuel vehicles will give them that option.

Steven,
Growth Energy represents the US ethanol industry - this is true- but all of the studies that refute the "food vs. fuel" myth are from third party sources. Countless academic and government reports show that market speculation and fossil fuel prices have more impact on food prices than ethanol.

The VEETC has undoubtedly helped the ethanol industry grow over the years by creating a market and spurring investment into the industry. However, Growth Energy, a coalition of US ethanol supporters believes that in an open competitive fuels market, ethanol could succeed without government support.

This is the idea behind our fueling freedom plan which calls for the redirection and eventual phasing out of government support for ethanol in return for a level playing field – infrastructure investments that will create competition in the fuels market and give consumers true freedom to choose their fuel.

The plan would phase out the blender's tax credit, which right now doesn't even go to ethanol producers but goes to the fuel blenders (the oil companies) as an incentive to blend ethanol. The plan would redirect some portion of that tax credit to help pay for the installation of blender pumps and ethanol pipelines. We could also mandate that all vehicles sold in the U.S. be flex-fuel compatible.

We believe this is a forward thinking approach to ethanol policy that will open the fuels market and give consumers a choice at the pump that includes clean, renewable ethanol.

To learn more about the plan visit www.growthenergy.org/fuelingfreedom

By investing in Flex Fuel Vehicles and infrastructure that can deliver renewable energy, like ethanol, directly to consumers we will effectively break Big Oil's hold over the energy market and help decrease our dependence on gas refined from oil.

Bob - I would be happy to enlighten you:

Agricultural and technical innovations are constantly increasing crop yields, reducing the intensity of pesticide and fertilizer use, improving water productivity, and promoting conservation measures that reduce energy waste. Precision agriculture techniques are utilized and farm machinery is integrated so only the amount of input necessary is applied. Since 2001, ethanol plants have decreased energy use by 21.8 percent and reduced their use of water by 26.6 percent, despite a 6.4 percent increase in yield.

According to the USDA, ethanol produced from corn provides 67 percent more energy than is used during production compared to a net energy loss of 20 percent in the production of gasoline. Preliminary results from a USDA study show that corn ethanol provides almost twice as much energy than is used in production.

As for the impact of ethanol on food prices: recent studies have concluded that ethanol made from corn has minimal impact on the cost of our food. The latest crop forecasts, which indicate another record corn crop, prove that our farmers can produce more than enough grain to satisfy all the demand for food, feed and fuel in this country without increasing prices at the grocery store. As an illustration, in 2009, a record corn yield was gathered on 7 million fewer acres than the previous record year, proving that farm efficiencies and technology are helping us produce ever greater yields on fewer acres.

To learn more about ethanol and how it can benefit the U.S., visit our website at www.growthenergy.org