Do We Really Need All That Ethanol?

[yellowwoodII]

As the price of oil drops, I have to wonder if we should be using all that agricultural land for corn?

Corn ethanol used for 40% of corn crop.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/time-to-rethink-corn/

All this corn production needs a lot of pesticide, of course.

Shouldn't our land be used for food?

It's not even good for cars, so I've read.

[Wellstone ruled]

1. Not all Corn is food grade.

You can not go out to a Corn Bin and expect to make Corn Flakes or Corn flour out of that sample. It's all about the Starch,Oil,and Gluten content. BTW,there are several grades of corn.

[yellowwoodII]

3. That's the point

There are food crops that could be grown instead of that Ethanol corn.

[Wellstone ruled]

4. True food grade corn in grown

in a narrow strip of our Nation,starting in Ohio and continuing to Nebraska. And as you say,Corn for Ethanol is generally a high Starch Variety specially developed for the Ethanol Industry.

[Merlot]

2. I think ethanol is just another subsidy to corn farmers

[Igel]

5. I think of it as the start of hard cider

or "hard water".

Don't denature it and it's perfectly consumable. In moderation, of course.