meehawl

all that is solid melts into air, all that is holy is profaned

Corn Welfare

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[Brazil] already churns out what many consider to be the world’s cheapest and most efficient mass-produced biofuel … In the United States, a 54 cent-per-gallon tax blocks most Brazilian ethanol from reaching U.S. consumers. Similar tariffs also block access to Europe, China and other major energy markets … the United States continues to block Brazilian ethanol while boosting production of ethanol made from corn, which produces much less ethanol per acre than sugar does, cuts into food supplies and does little to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions … an acre of sugar cane in Brazil produces about 800 gallons of ethanol, while an acre of corn produces 328 gallons … corn also must be converted into sugar before it can be turned into ethanol … sugar-cane ethanol produces 8 units of energy for every 1 unit of fossil fuels invested in its production, while the ratio for corn ethanol is 1.3 to 1.

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