Requiring corn-based fuel in our gas tanks has proven disastrous. The current drought highlights the issues:
• Raises price of gasoline through subsidies.
• Air-quality benefit eliminated due to fuel used in planting, harvest, transport, and export.
• Corn prices are staggering (60% higher as of June).
• Livestock is being slaughtered to save feed cost, leading first to meat subsidies, then smaller herds and higher meat prices.
• Farm land in Iowa has become cost-inflated.
• Increases pesticide pollution in waterways.
The mandates established in 2005 and 2007 have been proven ineffective, costly, and regressive. Please listen to the People, the Representatives, and UN Food and Agricultural Organization: let demand determine ethanol production, not mandates.