Our Position on Ethanol

The principal goal for 2007 for Colorado Corn is support of ethanol to the extent it benefits the agriculture community.

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To benefit the Ag community the CCGA wants the purchase of local corn by ethanol plants, or preferably an ownership interest in the production facility. Some proposed ethanol production facilities meet neither of these two requirements.

For this reason the CCGA has not been enthusiastic supporters of some projects.

Not supporting a particular ethanol plant doesn’t mean lack of support for ethanol.

It means lack of support for the project because it doesn’t provide benefits to corn producers.

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There are some ethanol promotional groups who have agendas other than the advancement of ethanol.

Because the CCGA does not support these groups it should not be understood as opposing ethanol, rather it is looking out for ethanol’s best interests

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Mandates. The oil industry is a closed system that prohibits entrants into its system.

There is no free market system in automotive fuel. Without a mandate there would ethanol only when it enhanced oil company profitability.

As Americans we have interests other than oil company profits: national energy independence and clean air are among the most important.

These interests are too important to be left to marketplace, especially one controlled by a few large players.

A person cannot be pro-ethanol and against the ethanol mandate. It is equivalent to make someone a gift of the crown jewels. Nice gesture, but it’s never going to happen. Never.

It is the reason Montana, Hawaii and Minnesota have ethanol requirements. And it is the reason almost a dozen other states have legislation under consideration.

Colorado Corn supports ethanol when ethanol supports farmers.