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Switchgrass Makes Better Ethanol Than Corn
statemachine writes to mention that the USDA and farmers took part in a 5-year study of switchgrass, a grass native to North America. The study found that switchgrass ethanol can deliver around 540 percent of the energy used to produce it, as opposed to corn ethanol which can only yield around 24 percent. "But even a native prairie grass needs a helping hand from scientists and farmers to deliver the yields necessary to help ethanol become a viable alternative to petroleum-derived gasoline, Vogel argues. 'To really maximize their yield potential, you need to provide nitrogen fertilization,' he says, as well as improved breeding techniques and genetic strains. 'Low input systems are just not going to be able to get the energy per acre needed to provide feed, fuel and fiber.'"
This is not news... it has been for over 2 years that switchgrass was better but the sagging corn prices due to over production was hurting the big corporate corn farmers. The republican controlleed congress wanted to reward the farmers in an effort to keep control. All it did was drive up the cost of corn, meat, milk, cheese, and all those nice sweet breakfast foods that kids love to eat.
By the power invested in my dictatorship, I, George W. Bush, do hereby declare that CORN is THE ethanol source because of
political donor control of the U.S. Congress.
Ask Archer Daniel Midlands.
Criminally forever,
George W. Bush