GoodFuels

Less Acres to Produce Bigger Corn Crop

In the September crop forecast out Friday morning, USDA is now calling for a near record corn crop for 2009 – at 13 billion bushels, just shy of the 2007 record – and a record soybean crop.

Geoff Cooper with the Renewable Fuels Association notes that this bin buster is being produced on less acres. “What the report demonstrates is that we’re not needing additional land to produce the incremental amount of feedstock that we need as the ethanol industry grows,” Cooper said. “We’re producing a 13 billion bushel crop this year and we needed 6 1/2 million LESS acres to do it than in 2007. You are seeing acreage decrease each year as yields increase and total production increases.”

Cooper says this disputes the theory of indirect land use change and proves that U.S. farmers can very well produce food, feed and fuel. “The report drives another nail in the coffin of the food versus fuel argument,” said Cooper. “USDA is projecting increases in both the amount of corn we are feeding to livestock and the amount of corn going to export.”

In addition, RFA is pleased to congratulate Highwater Ethanol in Lamberton, Minnesota on its grand opening, held on the eighth anniversary of 9/11 terrorist attacks on American soil. “American farmers and ethanol producers are doing their part to enhance the security of this country and bolster our domestic food and fuel supplies,” said Cooper. “The opening of this plant on a day that has particular meaning to Americans is a good reminder of that.”

This edition of “The Ethanol Report” features an interview with Geoff Cooper about these topics and others related to the good news of increased corn and ethanol production and what that means for our nation.

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