The Maize Maze

THE MAIZE MAZE

POLITICS OF ETHANOL

Biff! Pow! Sock-O! Grind those axes, everyone!

Every gallon of corn-derived alcohol sold in motor fuel is twothirds of a gallon of gasoline that the oil companies don’t sell. Do they like this?

Corn states love alcohol in fuel

because it drives up corn prices.

• Beef states hate higher feed prices.

• Hydrofracking has raised U.S. production of

oil and gas, reducing concern over energy independence and cutting incentive to add alcohol to gasoline.

• The U.N. has asked the U.S. to suspend its use of corn to power

automobiles as it drives up world food prices, especially in this drought year.

• Many ask why government

should subsidize the ethanol industry.