ethanol Archive

19 May

Grease thieves, corn oil and fraud: How biofuel scam artists bilked U.S. taxpayers of billions

Written by Don Carr

Previously published @EWG In June 2016, Dave Larson sat in his boss’ office at Triton Energy LLC, in Waterloo, Indiana, filling out a worker’s compensation form. The day before, he’d taken a nasty fall from a ladder. He’d also begun to suspect his employer was involved in a federal biofuels program fraud scheme. He...

environmental crime, ethanol Comments are off

08 February

Cruz Storms “King” Corn’s Castle

Written by Don Carr

Because of the outsized role they play in American politics, there will always be debate over the farm lobby’s power. The first in the nation Iowa presidential primary caucus has been a barometer of the corn and ethanol lobbies’ influence in particular due to the state’s huge output of both. This time around Texas...

#ROA, Republicofawesome Ag Lobby, ethanol, politics, White House Comments are off

13 November

The Wrong Way

Written by Don Carr

Republican Matt Bevin’s recent triumph for the governorship in Kentucky underscores the long downward slide for Democrats in rural America. Due to Tea Party waves and cycles of lackluster outreach efforts the blue squad has seen its numbers dwindle in farm country. What could help farm state D’s wander out of the darkness? According...

#ROA, Republicofawesome, TheRepublicofawesome Ag Lobby, ethanol, politics Comments are off

23 April

Can Cheaper Corn Change the Way We Farm?

Written by Don Carr

America has too much corn. Year after year of farmers responding to incentives to grow more of America’s largest crop has resulted in a glut of the commodity. With high supply and slackening demand, prices have fallen dramatically since the corn gold rush sparked in 2007. But will low prices actually encourage farmers to plant a...

Climate Change, conservation, ethanol, farm subsidies Comments are off

15 March

The GOP’s king corn problem

Written by Don Carr

Republican politics — especially the presidential primary — have become a contest of appealing to the far right voter by demonstrating conservative street cred. That’s why it was fascinating to observe March 7th’s awkward march of Republican candidates to the Iowa State Fairgrounds to articulate their position on the Renewable Fuels Standard — a government handout for those...

#ROA, Republicofawesome Ag Lobby, ethanol, farm subsidies, ROA Comments are off

05 November

How Did Agriculture Policy Fare in the 2014 Midterms?

Written by Don Carr

Republicans took total control Congress last night. And a handful of races focused specific agriculture issues and legislation or have implications on future food and farm policy decisions. Iowa Republican Joni Ernst defeats Democrat Bruce Braley to replace Tom Harkin This race is seismic for agriculture lobby influence. Iowa, state of my birth, is...

#ROA, Republic of Awesome Ag Lobby, ethanol, politics Comments are off

10 October

Any Port in a Storm for Ethanol and Oil

Written by Don Carr

The recent campaign against Environmental Protection Agency clean water rule proposals has descended into farce, courtesy of the American Petroleum Institute and the federal ethanol mandate. The issue of ethanol subsidies and mandates has generated opposition coalitions comprised of some pretty “strange bedfellows.” With ethanol’s threat to fossil fuel’s market share, its impact on livestock...

#ROA, Republic of Awesome Ag Lobby, conservation, ethanol Comments are off