August 16, 2010
Opinion: Biofuels basic to rural economy
Published in In-forum
The economic crisis from which our nation is recovering has touched every part of America, and rural residents were not immune. Yet, many indicators suggest that rural communities fared better than their more urban cousins. In no small part, this has been due to the growth in renewable fuel production and the corresponding innovation on American farms.
As a corn grower, I can attest to the positive impact the production of one biofuel, ethanol, has had on my industry. As ethanol production has increased, creating new and growing markets for my grain, so, too, has my ability to produce food, feed and now fuel.
American ethanol production has grown from a mere 175 million gallons in 1980 to an expected 12 billion gallons in 2010. This production represents nearly 10 percent of American gasoline supply. As with corn production, ethanol is using fewer inputs like water and energy while producing more fuel and feed.
All of this innovation and production leads to one thing: economic opportunity. In 2009, ethanol production alone helped nearly 400,000 Americans keep their job or find a new one. It added
$16 billion to household incomes, many in rural America. And, ethanol provided much-needed increases in tax revenues for all levels of government, including here at the state and local level for important projects like new schools.
In many areas, the success of biofuels and local farmers are helping Main Streets in rural America not only survive, but thrive.
