For First Time, More Corn Used for Ethanol Than Livestock
August 18th, 2011Via: The Gazette:
For the first time ever, more of the corn crop may go into gas tanks than into the stomachs of cattle and poultry destined for kitchen tables.
The prediction drew little response last week when it was released by the USDA in its Crop Production and Supply/Demand Report for the 2011 crop season. The USDA kept its prediction for ethanol production demand for corn at 5.05 billion, but lowered demand projections for livestock feed by 100 million bushels to 5 billion bushels.
That fuel now tops livestock as the primary user of corn struck at least one observer as noteworthy.
“That’s a first-time-ever type of change,” University of Missouri Extension economist Ron Plain said in a statement released by the university.
“For forever,” Plain said, “ feed was the largest single use of corn.”
Research Credit: EB
This is a bit strange as the by product of corn ethanol – corn mash – is used as a feed for livestock. Much better for them as it has been pre-digested. Also corn mash is great as a fertiliser.
Anti-Ethanol PR I am guessing…
You think that vast, genetically engineered corn deserts for fuel are a good use of what remains of topsoil in the U.S.? Man, you better wake up.
A B-D farmer friend has been renting the same 100 acre parcel for years, growing hay for his cows.
The owner has just been offered 4X the rent my friend was paying, by corn-speculators. Naturally the owner accepted the offer (with apologies to my friend) and my friend is now reducing his herd and HIS future income.
What makes it even worse is that the parcel in question has been farmed without chemical inputs for more than 100 years, using horses for plowing.
Corn is a heavy feeder and quickly sucks the life out of soil. Moreover, it is bad food for cows:
http://www.healthytheory.com/corn-fed-vs-grass-fed-beef