Even if they could use the pipelines, it would still be more expensive to distribute from the consumer's perspective, simply because you'll use more E85 than you would gas.

Another thing I started wondering about was whether the USA has the ability to produce enough E85 to meet our automotive needs, without impacting food prices. Lots to think about...

 

Not all corn produced is useable for food, much of it has spoilage, or other issues that make it non edible, even for livestock. We already overproduce for what this country and in all reality, the world needs. Yes I know that there is hunger in the world, but it isn't due to the lack of food availability, it is more political and logistical in nature.

 

YES the above is all true. Plus, IMO, it would be good for all of us if farmers could make a little profit without any gov. help.
I am BTW retired from farming. I was never a big farmer, most would call it hobby farming and I depended on my "day job" for a living.

 

subsidies have been ok for a while, but now they area crutch,and are very much abused. Actual free market would be as beneficial as the controlled prices we have now, but at any given time, there is enough grain in storage across the US to feed this nation for a long time.I don't recall the amount, but there is a lot of corn and such in "commodity loan" on most farms which is in essence, the gov't reserves. Weevil, I'm sure you know more how all that works than I do, as my father is the one that handled all that, I just worked for him. He is now retired as well. The big farms are taking over, because that is the only way they can survive. I always hear about the "corporate farms" taking over, but the thing is, many of those corporations are FAMILY coprorations, done to preserve the family farm way of life, most are not the big conglomerates we all envision when corporate is said.

 

It's so easy for these interesting threads to get off topic. Ethanol>farming>subsidies>and now the discounts on the price of bread.

Anyone remember the commercial from 5-8yrs ago? A soft spoken kindly looking farmer about retirement age comes on and says, "there's a nickels worth of wheat in a loaf of bread." I believe he went on to say that wheat sold for 2.75 a bushel and cost 5.00 to grow. Don't really know what the point of the commercial was. But heres my point: About every other week at the grocery store bead would be on sale .20 to .60 off normal price.

Always wondered why the farmer couldn't have a nickel (and double his money) of that twenty to sixty cents off. If the barkery and the store can so easily do without the full price...............well, you get my point? It's one of those things that jsut doesn't make sense.