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The problem with the current ethanol infrastructure is the fact its based around corn. That is also used for feed for cattle and other farm animals. On top of that a lot of midwest farms are converting to growing corn crop for ethanol production rather than soybean and other important vegetables in our food chain the end result is not enough corn for feed and increased prices on vegetables due to lack of product. Which causes our prices on food to rise. This includes meat and dairy . In the end it could cause an inflationary crisis in our food chain and push us into a recession. This is economic fact. Now add that to the fact that even though these farmers are growing more corn for ethanol production we still do not have the production infrastructure to produce enough ethanol to meet demand. Add to that the protectionist trade pratice of taxing brazilian sugar can ethanol imports in order to stimulate corn ethanol production here and you have a completely idiotic misguided goverment idea. They are in effect using it to try and show they are doing something along with the effect that they have been bought off by the midwestern state corn lobbyists.
Now one last thing to add to this to drive the nail into the coffin of this misguided policy. Sugar cane is 8 times more efficient for the production of ethanol. Which basically means larger quanitities of ethanol out the same bulk weight of base ingredient. Its just fucked up policy and we can do better. Another one of George Bushs stupid mistakes.
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