When we use all the corn to run our cars, what will we eat?

Question

When we use all the corn to run our cars, what will we eat?

Answer 1

We currently use 20% of US produced corn to make ethanol.  The leftovers from the process are pretty useless for feed and absolutely useless for food.

This will double to 40% of US production soon.  We aren't paying corn producers not to make corn anymore because the demand is higher than supply.

US production of corn will go up as more crops are not grown in a rotation and only corn is produced.  Also, more land currently allowed to be natural will be made into corn production.  This will require more fertilizer (made from natural gas) and fresh water (which is a limited commodity).

A bill just passed requires ethanol production to be increased more than 5x current production.  That is OVER 100% of corn production.  For all the talk of cellulostic and other methods of producing ethanol, no one is moving in that direction in this country because it is MORE EXPENSIVE.

Ethanol is already more expensive than gas and is getting worse.  Ethanol is subsidized 50 cents per gallon from the government--taxes they can't use to do things.  Corn prices are rising fast and predicted to rise faster.  Meat and chicken prices will follow.

But remember, combating global warming will have "little to no effect" on the economy.

Answer 2

first of all, ethenol probably won't last that long, since it's not a very good idea anyway. second, ethenol is only part of what comes from corn, leaving the rest to be used for other purposes, like eating. plus, there's a lot of other food out there than just corn.

Answer 3

Theo,  You are smart man to be thinking about this question.  That is the ethical debate right now among scientist, public planning, and the notorious clueless politicians.  How much land should we set aside for food and/or fuel?  People are starving in many parts of the world but we are growing food to make fuel.  I can't answer this question and I think only time will tell what the outcome of your question will be.  It is nice to know that there are people like you out there that come up with these questions.  It is not a laughing matter either, like some of the other answers you have received (shame on you people, there are people starving in the world).

Answer 4

More expensive animal food means more expensive animal product.

Expect your glass of milk and big mac to increase in price and corn becomes more scarce.

But you know what, I would rather have expensive food than expensive fuel. Fuel is hard to cut back on. You HAVE to go places. But when it comes to food... we don't have to eat as much as we do, and there will always be inexpensive foods available.

Answer 5

Soylent Green?

Humans don't eat the majority of the corn grown in the U.S.

It goes to feeding livestock. They are different kinds of corn, sweet corn and feed corn.

Answer 6

Edible oil products, of course!

Answer 7

lol very funny, same as always?

Answer 8

U must learn to adapt.

Answer 9

Nothing we will starve! lol seriously!

Answer 10

we now pay farmers NOT to grow corn on a percentage of their land....

so all we'd have to do is stop that program.

But... corn is one of the WORST ways to make ethanol.  There's much better crops that give more ethanol for less energy input to produce it.... and give more ethanol per acre farmed.

Answer 11

A Big MaCoal & a gas shake?????

Answer 12

Currently, the U.S. government pays subsidies to farmers to not plant crops in order to limit production, drive up prices and prevent excessive surplus.  If the need for more corn production becomes an issue due to increased ethanol use, this policy will undoubtably change, and farmers will simply plant more corn.

Answer 13

Just grow more corn.

Answer 14

Excellent question!  We're already seeing food prices (cereal, etc.) increasing because of the additional use of ethanol in gasoline.  You've hit on something very important that others are ignoring.  Simply this ... ethanol is NOT an effectivement replacement for gasoline.  One, it doesn't make sense economically, and two it generates as much greenhouse gases as does gasoline.

Answer 15

Michaela, subsidies are used TO help farmers produce MORE crops.  They just want the farmers to sell their crop to ethanol creators (ethanol still produces CO2 btw, and is NOT a solution for global warming) instead of selling corn in the supermarket.

Answer 16

The pigs will starve.  So bacon will no longer be part of our diet.

Not only corn can be used to make ethanol, all kinds of other biofuels.

Answer 17

There's enough corn for food and fuels. Several countries are cultivating corn, producing millions of tons every year.

So don't worry.

Answer 18

The majority of corn grown today is used for cattle feed, either as raw corn or by-products left over from oil and fructose extraction. We'll still have bread, oatmeal, green, red, and yellow vegy's.....lots of stuff.

Answer 19

Broccoli!!  Yum...Yum

Answer 20

How about all the other things we can use to make ethanol?  I swear this government is so ridiculous!  I know we have everything in place for checks & balances sake, but sometimes I think they all just get in the way!!!!  Go from A to B folks!