> I find it interesting that a number of states such as Minnesota, > Iowa, Wisconsin, North & South Dakota, California, Nebraska to > name few around the USA have introduced alternative biofuel > such as ethanol into not only the government transportation mix > but also to the public which may have had something to do with > public opinion or was there some other reasons for it. ======================================== Hello MH,
Below is a link that shows maize (corn) production in tabular and graphic form (both worldwide and by state). The information shows how the states you mention, are leaders in corn production. I believe Wisconsin is a more recent entry in the push for ethanol in comparison to Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, and Nebraska. Eastern South Dakota is a major corn production area and a large plant was recently constructed at Aurora (100 miilion gallons per year). Railroad trainloads of ethanol are shipped eastward to the Hudson River in the state of New York and then barged downriver to the New York City area markets. Nebraska is a leader by using water irrigation. There is also a table showing the top Wisconsin County corn producers. Government involvement has helped this push. For example, Minnesota allows tax breaks (incentives, whatever) for farmer invested ethanol plants. Large corporate investors need not apply. One half of all ethanol production in the USA is from farmer owned co-ops. Here's the link: http://corn.agronomy.wisc.edu/FISC/Corn/Corn.htm Here is a link showing an inventory of ethanol plants in the USA: http://www.ethanol.org/productionlist.htm Here is the home page link that talks about ethanol production. They mention other crops, but with corn production as an established, mature crop (machinery, storage facilities, transportation options, etc)...it was easy to introduce corn into the cycle: http://www.ethanol.org/ Ron B. _______________________________________________ Biofuel mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://wwia.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/biofuel Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Biofuel archives at Infoarchive.net (searchable): http://infoarchive.net/sgroup/biofuel/
