I heard an economist bring up a great point. With all the subsidies going to corn growing farmers for ethanol, a lot of farmers are switching from growing other food crops, thus creating a huge demand that cannot be filled; which will raise prices on everything, not to mention corn demand is skyrocketing due to ethanol, further increasing our food costs, not just in corn products but with meat, since meat farmers will have to pay more for livestock feed. Since the demand for other food crops will not be met because of this, we will have to resort to importing our food! And like he pointed out, look at how tainted our pets food was from foreign countries. Although human imported food would have stricter regulations, still, we would be relying on foreign producers to fill those demands!
Personally, I'd rather import our oil, rather than our food!
2007-06-22 12:01:58 · 22 answers · asked by Bunz 5 in Politics & Government ➔ Politics
Basically, we need to stop this insane rush to grow corn for ethanol for energy independence, because we'll just be depending on foreign food then!
2007-06-22 12:09:34 · update #1
HOw about neither. Dig for oil off our shores, in Alaska and grow our crops here.
We don't need to import anything.
Even China is digging 50 miles outside of our terrority. That's what we should be doing.
2007-06-22 12:38:06 · answer #1 · answered by wondermom 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I don't want my food imported, it takes so long there want be any vitamin's left in the food. You have no idea what it was sprayed with or what kind of stuff was put on it to make it grow,. Of course you don't know what goes in our food grown in US either. And prices are done gone up and going to get worst anyway. There is plenty land to grow all the corn here in the us that we need. The farmer isn't going to make much. It is the middle man that is collecting all the money. queen bee
2007-06-22 19:17:23 · answer #2 · answered by queen bee 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You bring up an excellent point!
But this is what happens when the economy is allowed to completely regulate itself.
It does things that are best for profit, but not as good for conservation of resources.
Ethanol can be made with many more things than just the things we eat. Straw, photosynthetic bacteria, and industrial/agricultural waste are just a couple examples.
the reason why it is made out of food products, is because it is easier, faster, and more profitable for energy/fuel companies who specialize in only making fuels to make it with grains that are high in starch.
What should really be happening, are companies that have waste that can be made into ethanol, are the ones that should be producing it.
Some of them are, but not enough, because the fuel industry is viewed as a gold mine.
Soon we will be faced with a choice between high profits, or a feasible fuel supply.
the same point you mention about poor resource allocation of grains for ethanol, can also be seen in drilling up our own oil resources from federally protected lands.
When we drill up our own, and use it up, where are we at in a few decades when we have to again import it froma country that has problems with our policies? They would pretty much have control of us, would they not?
Bert, you present an excellent argument, like usual, but we do grow rice in the United States. There isn't enough grown to supply our consumption of it, but it is grown in the US. Two states that I know grow rice are Missouri(southern) and Arkansas. next time you drive through the area, and see what looks like wheat fields full of water, that is what they are...rice fields. just make sure to wear plenty of mosquito repellant.
2007-06-22 19:25:11 · answer #3 · answered by jj 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
oil...
but I thought we were producing like 3 times the amount we need of corn (for food)? so I didn't think it would be that big of a problem? I guess it depends on the demand for fuel of course, but when demand grows, other farmers will switch... and more people will start farming as profits grow...
I've been to the midwest... still a lot of land unfarmed... just saying...
I've not seen the actual stats on this... but this seems a bit alarmist from what I've seen/heard...
2007-06-22 19:09:14 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
Why do you think you get strawberries in winter? Chili. Much of our food and surprisingly little of our oil is imported.
The goal would be to use hydrogen energy and solar so we may not have to import any oil and, well we love our food in the USA so those imports will probably be okay.
2007-06-22 19:17:54 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
No import foods to the United States. We've
already seen some have poisoning ingredients
in them. We don't need that in addition to all the
other problems we have.
2007-06-22 19:07:02 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
This is an argument I also heard. However I believe this is yet another scare tactic perpetuated by the oil industry. That is one persons opinion, and there are many others out there to counter his. I suggest you research other opinions and not base your thoughts on this subject solely on one persons alarmist propaganda.
2007-06-22 19:14:52 · answer #7 · answered by wisdomforfools 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
So whats your answer then? $5.00 a gallon gas which ruins the air pollutes the water and kills your grandparents because they cannot take a deep breath for all the smog?
Are you THAT owned by Big Oil that you arent even willing to TRY another way?
How sad for you.
2007-06-22 19:15:22 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
There are far better technologies with greater potential. Ethanol isn't one of the long term ones, just a short term joke.
2007-06-22 19:12:14 · answer #9 · answered by flushles 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
In a population of 300 million it would be silly have food tasters .
2007-06-22 19:10:38 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋