Thanks for Nothing, Ethanol

I'm not a big ethanol fan, particularly not after hearing this story on NPR a few weeks ago.

Basse says a few years ago, organic grains like corn could be sold at a healthy premium over conventional crops, more than making up for the added costs and labor. But biofuels have reversed that equation. Ethanol's appetite for corn of any kind has driven up the price of conventional grains faster than organics, all but erasing the premium.

{Economist Dan} Basse says this is bad news for organic dairy producers. Midwest farmers are abandoning organic grain production at a time when organic milk is experiencing a glut. That oversupply has delayed any severe jumps in the cost of organic milk -- at least for now.

But as feed costs force dozens of organic dairies go out of business, {economist Dan} Basse says it's only a matter of time before consumers are left holding the tab.

Hay Prices Hurting Horse Lovers

A friend of mine has five horses on Vashon Island and she is struggling with hay prices. She told me that she is currently stock piling as much hay as possible because of the rising costs. She's also had to pay for a new shelter to house the hay and keep it dry in the Pacific Northwest climate.

She told me that part of the problem is that so many fields are being turned over to corn production for ethanol. Hay is in short supply and costs are rising. While she'll probably be okay, it's the horse rescues that will be in serious trouble.

Here's an article about hay prices and how owners who can't afford their horses anymore are sending them off to slaughter. Slaughter where? To the hell holes of Canada and Mexico.