Channeling America’s largest growing commodity crop—corn—40% of it to be exact—toward ethanol production for fuel, may be less than a stellar idea.
“Because of the subsidy, ethanol became cheaper than gasoline, and so we sent 397 million gallons of ethanol overseas last year. America is simultaneously importing costly foreign oil and subsidizing the export of its equivalent.
That’s not all. Ethanol packs less punch than gasoline and uses considerable energy in its production process. All told, each gallon of gasoline that is displaced costs the Treasury $1.78 in subsidies and lost tax revenue.”
Check out the original New York Times post that outlines this terrible U.S. subsidized program: The Great Corn Con