Fun With Math

[Happytrails]

U.S. oil consumption is roughly 20 million barrels/day. U.S. corn production is about 12.5 billion bushels this year. By my math yearly oil consumption is almost triple the volume of the corn crop. One third of a cubic mile compared to 1/8 cubic mile for those interested.

Turning corn into ethanol results in about 2.65 gallons/bus which has 30% of the bushel volume.

If the entire U.S. corn crop were turned into ethanol it would supply less than 1/8 of current fuel usage. Meanwhile many of us would starve.

The more corn that is turned into ethanol the poorer our society will be. That is also true for wheat ethanol. Our leaders need to get this message. HT

[ColevilleH2S]

You are forgetting that Dried Distillers Grain is produced in the process. Ethanol doesn't destroy food, it transforms it.

Just as cows eat corn and give you meat, E-plants eat corn and give you DDGs, Cows then eat the DDGs and give you meat. Either way we are eating steak at the end of the day.

[grassfarmer]

I agree Happytrails - it's insanity. Besides I prefer the alternative of cows eating forage that grows on land that can't grow corn - better all round use of our land resource.

[fjlip]

I agree, cows do grass, corn can all go for ethanol, so the US can say screw the Middle east oil. If oil prices keep going up, grains will too. We win, and beef tastes better off grass.

[charliep]

Perhaps what we need is a change in culture and the way western
Canada thinks about things. If we had an ethanol industry, I suspect
farmers wouldn't produce as much relatively low yielding high protein
CWRS for bread sold into Mercedes class markets (which the CWB sells
at Chevy Malibu prices) but rather high yielding, high starch (read
energy) and lower protein wheats suitable for many human
consumption market around the world, a better fit into livestock
rations (which consume energy) and finally an ethanol industry. This
wheat will sell at a lower price than the traditional CWRS wheat but the
yield times price will generate more revenue per acre. Three distinct
market and competition for acres will keep returns competitive with
other crops. Had the canola wheat canola highlighted at a ACPC
meeting Vegreville (another thread) and the question whether
sustainable.

Suspect biofuels policy is here to stay in many parts of the world. It is
one of the reasons grain prices are high today. Is Canada on the bus
on this policy or simply a watcher enjoying higher grain prices?

By way of more interest, feeders in Alberta like corn dried distiller
grains as reflected in improved performance in feedlots.

[charliep]

A question.

Why does Canada only really produce (and perhaps spending money on
plant breeding for) high quality and protein CWRS type wheat? Half the
time, Mother nature drops grade and protein in this wheat. Half the time
there is more of this quality of wheat than is needed by the specific
customers that need it around and the CWB ends up selling in highly price
competitive markets at sustantial discounts to make sales. Why doesn't
western Canada have more production of and markets for mid quality
wheats?

[TOM4CWB]

Dear Charlie,

We grew Sadash soft white wheat this year in east central Alberta.

The SWSW yielded over 60% (80 vs 47bu/ac)more than the CWRS Superb. They are worth exactly the same as both are feed wheat. Both germed about 75% and were seeded one after the other about May 15 (about 260ac).

It is hard to argue with 60 percent more income from the soft white but obviously the CWRS was easier to market. 50lb/ac applied N Sadash on peas stubble; 70N on Canola stubble for Superb.

I am sure we can do much better with research and better disease resistance packages on soft white... if we get the rain.

[furrowtickler]

Soo.... the U.S. goes back too MTE(sp) as an aditive???? A major cancer causer?

[charliep]

Wouldn't happen. Ethanol is now part of the US fuel supply. Will not go back.

MBTE - methyl tertiary butyl ether

[dak7]

One of the reasons we have decent grain prices is that the US is not sitting on piles of corn or soybeans...

I don't have any livestock so think ethanol is a good idea.

[furrowtickler]

Thanks charlie, I knew I was missing a letter. BTW to all ethonal bashers - tis the real reason for ethonal additives.

[Hopperbin]

Some may have issues with this but I think if China has trouble buying our North American grains we should be making them blead. That is make them pay for it. We cannot make beef or pork out of all our overproduction either. For some reason they want to make the pork there, figure the math on that one.