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Food & fuel

C

cutterone

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Location
Frankfort, Indiana
Food and fuel: Case for cavemen

Hoosier Ag Today
Gary Truitt
The food vs. fuel debate that sprang up when renewable fuels started chewing up billions of bushels of grain and soybeans has taken a new turn. According to the New York Times, not only is it bad to use food for fuel but now it is bad to use food for food.
In a Jan. 27 article called "Rethinking the Meat-Guzzler," Mark Bittman calls for a return to the Stone Age.

He says meat is like oil: it is subsidized by the government, harmful for the environment, and facing increasing world demand.
He advocates, in all seriousness, giving up meat consumption, turning the livestock loose to return to their "natural environment," and going back to a lifestyle of eating grains and locally grown fruits and vegetables.

Bittman's article is full of the same worn out arguments against modern agriculture that have been around for years.

He also trumpets lots of academic sources with statistics on just how bad the livestock industry is for our environment, our health, and our world.

He conveniently ignores the facts that run counter to his argument such as: CAFOs are zero discharge facilities by law, larger operations are more efficient than smaller operations, and modern grain-based feedlots are more environmentally friendly than free-range operations.

Bittman and I agree on the value of locally-grown food and small family operations. While these operations play an increasingly important part in the local farm economy, they can not and will not meet the world demand for low cost commodity food products. According to Bittman, the world's meat supply was 71 million tons in 1961.

Today it is estimated at 284 million tons. Most of this increased demand came from other places in the world. As nations grew their economies, their people earned more money, and what did they do with it? They bought meat.

Why? It tastes good and, as part of a balanced diet, it is good for you.

So while Bittman and his ilk wring their hands in worry over the imagined social, economic, and environmental consequences of eating meat, millions of people around the world are eating meat regularly, some for the first time. Meanwhile, U.S. farmers are using the latest technology and the most environmentally responsible methods to produce that meat.

Bittman writes books on vegetarianism, yet he himself is not a vegetarian. Like so many others at the New York Times, he wants to tell us how to live, but will not follow his own advice.

The Food Policy Research Institute advocates a national PR campaign aimed at reducing U.S. meat consumption by emphasizing consequences to personal health, compassion for animals, and doing good for the poor of the world.

If these guys really wanted to help the environment, they would stop printing the New York Times; think of the trees that would save.

If they wanted to improve public health, they would use their PR campaign to get people to exercise.

If they really wanted to help the poor of the world, they would give them a big juicy steak, then tell them there was more where that came from if they would stop their civil wars and start plowing their fields.

No other civilization in history has ever walked away from advance in food production. If we do, it will be the downfall of our civilization and the beginning of a new Stone Age
Click to expand...
 
If protecting the environment is truly his concern, he should do something about all the cities - that's where all the pollution comes from. We need to eliminate cities, not ranches. :lol:
 
It's bad to use food for fuel, NOT,, Shelled Corn is the Cheapest Heat!!!
Heating with Corn is efficient, 398,000 Btu per 56-pound bushel
1 Bushel of Corn heat = 2.55 gallons of fuel oil per bushel of corn.

It's bad to burn fuel oil at $3.249 a gallon. So Iam not returning to the Stone Age. So Corn is worth $ 8.284 a bushel for heat against oil heat. Crude Oil is over $101 per barrel. Corn will go HIGHER.
Corn for heat sure looks like a comer on the energy scene. While the US government has served Archer Daniels Midlands and the farm lobby by funding dubious corn ethanol production, a far more cost effective use of corn for heating is taking off with little government intervention. I suspect there's a lesson in that. Burning corn for heat is keeping the enviroment clean too!
 
Cutterone, you like running around and setting fires!?!?!?

Both Bittman and Truitt are partisans promoting their extreme(and misguided) positions.

What a joke!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Well no exactly - I guess what's your point??? Do you have a problem with someone defending your business? I did not take a position one way or the other - I just posted an article for your infomation and let you make up how you personally preceved it.
Not that I'm in love with Triut but he was correctly pointing out that Bittman, the humaine society, and much of the New York media are spouting a lot of no nonsence trash about beef and their effect on the enviornment and health which relates to markets for you and me!
Sorry if you felt offended.
 
He says meat is like oil: it is subsidized by the government, harmful for the environment, and facing increasing world demand.
He advocates, in all seriousness, giving up meat consumption, turning the livestock loose to return to their "natural environment," and going back to a lifestyle of eating grains and locally grown fruits and vegetables.
Click to expand...

If the people in NYC only eat homegrown fruits and nuts isn't it cannabolism?
 
Cutterone, absolutely no offense here...I should have put the winky/smiley faces after my first first line of that post. I like the things you post and wish more folks would make comments. :D

Let me be clear...

Bittman and his elk are morons...if the world stops eating meat and frees all the animals, they simply run around the country-side and produce the SAME AMOUNT OF "GREEN HOUSE GASES"(if one believes that propaganda). The only way to "save the planet" would be to kill all the animals...the humane society and Bambi lovers can't have that!!!!

Then Truitt's defense is...
"CAFOs are zero discharge facilities by law"...now that's a moronic statement...does all the $hit disappear in thin air?????????

"larger operations are more efficient than smaller operations"...more economically efficient for the more concentrated processed food system???? Like many that defend the industrialization of food production, he talks 'touchy/feely about the small family farm, then defends the institutions that are destroying the small family farm!!!!!

"modern grain-based feedlots are more environmentally friendly than free-range operations"...that statement is simply ludicrous.

"Both Bittman and Truitt are partisans promoting their extreme(and misguided) positions."

Hope I cleared thing up! 8) :)
 
Oh I whole heartaly agree. He talks a two sided sword. I guess that's one reason why I have hard feelings about corp farming/ranching. I used to build livestock buildings and saw first hand the corruption. Mainly feed companies talking their customers into going into turn key operations where there were 10 investors, one the feed company, one the farmer, and 8 outside investors. The feed company was to furnish the feed, the contractor and building costs, and the farmer the labor. In order to construct that building as a contractor you had to give a exagerated price and give a kickback to the feed company. Then they sold feed to the operation at a premium and I'm sure they were getting another kickback from the market. It didn't take long before the operation was showing a lot of red ink and then the feed company would offer to buy everyone out at a loss.
I also have a boner with our so called associations who are suppost to be bolstering and protecting our interests yet seem to sleep with the corp side of things.
What is a shame is that the local, state, and national media never hears the real truth and news about agriculture. This forum is great for all of us the discuss and get things off our chests but the general public never knows about the things we discuss and our take on things. I guess our wheel just doesn't squeak loud enough and the public only hears these idiots.
 
Winter storms have heaped woes on central, south and southwest China since mid-January, leading to widespread traffic jams, blackouts and crop losses.
Official figures till Feb 14 show 10.5 million hectares of crops in 20 provinces and autonomous regions, or about 7.5 percent of the country's total plantation acreage, have been affected by the snow disaster.

The blizzards have also killed 4 million pigs, 393,000 cows, 1.38 million sheep and 63 million chickens and ducks in less than a month, causing livestock shortages and price rises, and hurting farmers' incomes.

Nearly half of the total cole produce, or about 3.26 million hectares, was hit by the freak weather, along with 2.81 million hectares of other vegetables, 1.26 million hectares of fruit trees and about 584,000 hectares of wheat.

"If we put the disaster in the context of global farming product supplies, we'll see how urgent and challenging our reconstruction work is in the agricultural sector," said Sun. "We are facing many problems and difficulties."

Sun pointed out that the areas hit by the blizzards are suffering from labor shortages in plantation as most young and capable laborers have migrated to cities.

Huge investment to improve the agricultural infrastructure destroyed by the snow will also worsen the local governments' financial situation, he warned.

The regions are low on supplies of seeds and stud stock and farmers badly need scientific solutions to cushion the disaster's impact, Sun said, adding that his ministry is tackling the crisis on all these fronts.

Guess they won't be sending exports to the US. for awhile.China has quit exporting Corn.
 
California is home to the nation's highest average gas price, $3.87 for regular unleaded; diesel is pushing $4.43 a gallon, according to Troy Green of AAA.

San Francisco is the most expensive city, averaging $3.97 a gallon. However, a drive around the city shows that many stations have jumped over $4.

The national average for regular unleaded is $3.53 and rising daily. Last year at this time, it was $2.86 per gallon. According to AAA, 24 states and the District of Columbia are averaging at or above $3.50 a gallon for regular unleaded. The state with the lowest gas is in New Jersey, at $3.34 per gallon

Everyone may need a horse or a bike!
 
San Fransico $3.87 a Gallon! BARGAIN!!!!! :!: :!: :!: That works out to approximately 96 cents a litre give or take a half a penny for the exchange rate. We haven't had gas that cheap here in so long I don't remember it.

On Canada AM this morning they said Edmonton has the cheapest gas at $1.17 a litre ($4.68 a U.S. gallon), and it goes right on up into the $1.30's in Newfoundland. ($5.20) :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:

That Geo Metro is looking better all the time. :wink:
 
Kato: out of curiosity, how much mpg does your vehicles get to the gallon.... the reason I am asking is that back in 1974 vehicles in England were considered gas hogs and they got 65 miles to the gallon...... any vehicle imported to the US has to be retrofitted so they get less mpg (which is wrong).
Thanks
 
Between fifty and sixty MPG, depending on how I drive it, and if it's tuned up. :D

It's got a standard transmission, no air conditioning, and "armstrong" steering. Power steering in a small car like this is a waste of time. A luxury car, it's not. But it gets me where I'm going. :D :D :D
 
Kato, It took 122 gals of diesel to go back to MI. average price was$4.22 or $515 to drive 1343 miles with the horse trailer. Problem is they are forecasting SNOW this evening. Should have stayed in Florida...
 
PRICES have GONE WILD

Corn prices have shot up 26 percent this year amid dwindling stockpiles and surging demand to feed livestock and make alternative fuels such as ethanol.

But the weather has been the biggest factor in recent days, with heavy rain in corn-growing areas leaving fields too soggy to work and putting farmers far behind schedule. More rain is expected in the coming days, meaning farmers may have to plant significantly less corn than planned. U.S. farmers were expected to plant about 86 million acres of corn in 2008, an 8 percent drop from last year.

"These forecasts for additional showers still continue to raise concerns that farmers may not be able to get the full 86 million acres planted. The weather will challenge them to get that done," said Shawn McCambride, analyst with Prudential Financial in Chicago.

Corn for May delivery jumped 22.75 cents to settle at $6 a bushel on the Chicago Board of Trade.

Rising corn prices mean consumers can expect even higher grocery bills for meat and pork, as livestock producers are forced to pass on higher animal feed costs and thin their herd size.

The planting delay has prompted some farmers to consider using their rain-soaked acres for other crops like soybeans, which have a later growth cycle. That prospect sent soybean prices sharply lower Monday, with the May contract plunging 42.25 cents to settle at $12.835 a bushel on the CBOT.

Other agriculture futures traded mixed. Wheat for May delivery added 25.5 cents to settle at $8.26 a bushel on the CBOT, while July rice futures fell 50 cents to settle at $23.68 per 100 pounds.

Beef futures traded mixed and pork futures traded lower on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.

April live cattle gained 0.13 cent to 92.40 cents a pound; May cattle fell 1.03 cents to $1.0672 a pound; May lean hogs fell 0.32 cent to 75.75 cents a pound; May pork bellies lost 3 cents to 74.1 cents a pound.

In energy futures, crude oil briefly surged to a new high because of labor actions that cut crude supplies from the North Sea and Nigeria. Prices later retreated and ended slightly higher after the dollar steadied against major currencies.

Light, sweet crude for June delivery rose to a record $119.93 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange in overnight trading, but later settled at $118.75, up 23 cents.

In other energy futures, May gasoline futures fell 2.3 cents to settle at $3.0307 a gallon on the Nymex, and May heating oil futures fell 0.4 cent to settle at $3.2988 a gallon.

In precious metals trading, the boost in oil prices help lift gold more than $5 as investors bought the metal as an inflation hedge.

Gold for June delivery added $5.80 an ounce to settle at $895.50 on the Nymex.

Other precious metals also traded higher. Silver for May delivery gained 16.3 cents to settle at $17.013 an ounce, while May copper rose 4.05 cents to settle at $3.9155 a pound.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
 
Demand for diesel fuel ( Local price today is $4.49 per gallon)is also growing worldwide, but supplies of distillates, which include diesel and heating oil, fell unexpectedly last week, the Energy Department said Wednesday. That's pushing U.S. diesel prices to record highs and inflating heating oil prices in the futures market; heating oil futures are often viewed as a proxy for diesel.

Heating oil for June delivery rose 12.62 cents to settle at $3.636 on the Nymex after earlier setting a trading record of $3.6524. At truck stops, retail diesel prices rose 1.8 cents overnight to a record national average of $4.269 a gallon,

Diesel is used to move most of the world's food, consumer and industrial goods via truck, ship and rail. Skyrocketing diesel prices are part of the reason food and consumer goods prices are so high.
 
Some of this may be coming to a halt! I guess we will find out how much power big oil has!

http://www6.lexisnexis.com/publisher/EndUser?Action=UserDisplayFullDocument&orgId=574&topicId=25148&docId=l:787682781&start=23
 
Fuel price just shot up again; diesel $$4.49 , Premium Gas $$4.16, Mid grade $$4.09, Regular $$3.99, and last night the state police caught two men stealing fuel. Must be people are getting brave. Going to have to get higher prices for my cattle now, just in case they start stealing them too.

Locking gas caps don't help either.
Many modern vehicles have a mechanism in the filler neck that prevents a hose from going all the way in to the tank. Or the fuel door itself may have to be released from inside the vehicle. Even so, these things don't necessarily provide any protection. It is becoming common for thieves to simply drill a hole in the bottom of the tank and drain it into a container. I've heard of incidents where entire car lots have had this done to them as well as having the catalytic converters cut off.
 
So the Democrats are going to put ever more taxes on fuels.

Will they EVER admit that you get less of what they levy more taxes on.......and more of that which they cut taxes from?????

We need LESS tax on fuel, MORE tax on political pandering!

mrj
 

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