There’s no contest between food and fuel in corn production, and Congress is working hard to pass the 2008 farm bill before March 15. That’s what growers learned at a recent Ohio Farm Bill forum.
The U.S. has the grain production capacity to meet food, fiber, and renewable energy demands. In fact, farmers are just scratching the surface of production capabilities, says U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA).
"Don’t buy the argument that we’ve reached the limits of production capacity — that it’s a contest between food and fuel. It’s not. We can do both," said Harkin. "I’m telling you, you haven’t seen anything yet. The research is showing what we can produce on a piece of land."
Harkin, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, dispelled the concerns to a group of growers, agricultural organizations, and industry experts during a 2008 Farm Bill forum on Feb. 29. Harkin joined U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) in fielding questions regarding the upcoming farm bill and outlining the various proposals.
Harkin emphasized the options available to growers when it comes to renewable energy production, not only from corn grain and cellulose, but also from wood products, switchgrass, prairie grasses, and willows. The House and Senate farm bill proposals call for increased funding for new renewable energy programs.
Harkin and Brown reassured the farm forum crowd that Congress is working diligently to get a version of the 2008 Farm Bill passed before the current farm bill expires on March 15.
