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Ethanol makers idle plants amid high corn prices Ethanol makers cut back production,

AP -- WICHITA, Kan. (AP) -- Ethanol makers are cutting production, and some are temporarily idling plants in the Midwest, as corn prices skyrocket and demand for gasoline falls because people are driving less.

More than 95 percent of the nation's ethanol plants use corn starch as their basis for the biofuel. That makes these facilities especially vulnerable to high corn prices in a commodity market nervous about triple-digit temperatures and drought in major corn-growing regions. Most of the more than 200 ethanol plants in the United States are in the Midwest, where most corn is grown.

A glut of the biofuel is squeezing ethanol makers further. The poor economy and high gas prices have people driving less, and ethanol is primarily used in gasoline blends.

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Submitted Jun 30, 2012 By: mastermariner

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honda0105 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:18,623 Points:1,609,520 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Jul 2, 2012 7:40:36 AM Ignore honda0105 Report Abuse would be nice if they'd be cutting EtOH out of the fuel altogether. Yea, pipe dream, but still...
tomok Champion Author Portland Posts:32,995 Points:2,345,510 Joined:Aug 2006	Message Posted: Jul 1, 2012 8:02:22 AM Ignore tomok Report Abuse People may be driving much less with Barry's (aka – vampire/ghost hunter) crappy, lousy, lack of adequate jobs economy, either they are driving higher MPG vehicles OR driving more EV's and Inbreds. But, less gasoline is being consumed and less ethanol is needed for the federally required gasoline mix. No Fuel from Food! The weather has an affect on the amount of corn grown. The higher the temperature and lack of rain, the less corn there will be and the higher the price for corn. Higher priced corn is also from the ethanol producers driving up the price of corn with their demand. Not as much ethanol is produced, this can be a good thing! Produce more alternative fuels from plants, WVO (waste vegetable oil), the bio mass or the waste stream (bio diesel). Renewable energy from Solar, Wind, Hydro.,Thermal, Tidal and Nuclear for EV's and plug in Inbreds. Whatever the size or shape of the vehicle, Produce and ‘Drive’ vehicles with high MPG, are very safe, reliable, have a ‘reasonable’ cost and a good ‘value’ for the money. Consider using other forms of less expensive transportation to lower your cost. The price of fuel at the pump is too high! 12/22/2012!
remay Champion Author Houston Posts:6,963 Points:2,116,640 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Jul 1, 2012 7:43:48 AM Ignore remay Report Abuse How ironic... shouldn't this be telling us something?
DrCashFlow Champion Author Massachusetts Posts:7,064 Points:1,626,250 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Jul 1, 2012 7:13:28 AM Ignore DrCashFlow Report Abuse Mandate ethanol out of gasoline
jetlagAK Champion Author Anchorage Posts:2,251 Points:635,675 Joined:Jan 2010	Message Posted: Jul 1, 2012 12:25:38 AM Ignore jetlagAK Report Abuse Another scam and waste of taxes. Anyone else 2012!
NorthglennBill Champion Author Denver Posts:7,422 Points:1,471,945 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Jul 1, 2012 12:22:41 AM Ignore NorthglennBill Report Abuse Be nice if they would shut down all the ethanol making plants and stop putting it in our gasoline.
jimedB Veteran Author Riverside Posts:400 Points:79,290 Joined:Jun 2012	Message Posted: Jul 1, 2012 12:07:21 AM Ignore jimedB Report Abuse Great. So now not only have they driven the cost of corn up by using it to make ethanol to water down our gas but by shuting down production they will also drive up the price of the ethanol too. Before they started adding this stuff to our gas I got 44+MPG highway and now with their "Clean" addatives I am lucky to get 32 to 35MPG. Seens to me this is just a way to get us to buy more gas so they can generate more tax revenue without having to raise the tax.
cupboy Champion Author Salt Lake City Posts:2,782 Points:1,121,205 Joined:Nov 2005	Message Posted: Jul 1, 2012 12:01:43 AM Ignore cupboy Report Abuse Where can I get more info on this?: the tax that has recently been placed on E-free gasoline
suzmar Champion Author Texas Posts:2,212 Points:871,990 Joined:Jun 2006	Message Posted: Jul 1, 2012 12:01:16 AM Ignore suzmar Report Abuse Good, I would like them to stop production of ethanol. jrsva has it exactly right!
DEG Champion Author Las Vegas Posts:17,620 Points:3,494,705 Joined:Jul 2003	Message Posted: Jul 1, 2012 12:01:08 AM Ignore DEG Report Abuse The requirement for ethanol in fuel should be ended!!! Corn is better for food or livestock feed.
cwashi3324 Champion Author Cincinnati Posts:2,797 Points:572,315 Joined:May 2009	Message Posted: Jul 1, 2012 12:00:02 AM Ignore cwashi3324 Report Abuse cool
grandamgt1 Champion Author Illinois Posts:2,341 Points:1,239,350 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Jun 30, 2012 11:59:31 PM Ignore grandamgt1 Report Abuse id rather have 'plain' gas anyway. too bad this just means the price of blended gas will no doubt go up.
n3tbc Veteran Author Wilmington Posts:355 Points:332,825 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: Jun 30, 2012 11:59:27 PM Ignore n3tbc Report Abuse Ok
jrsva Champion Author Virginia Posts:9,852 Points:1,612,250 Joined:Jan 2006	Message Posted: Jun 30, 2012 11:56:20 PM Ignore jrsva Report Abuse Right idea, wrong reason. They should be stopping ethanol production because ethanol is a junk fuel used to contaminate good gasoline. Congress must repeal the regulations requiring the blending of ethanol with gasoline and also repeal the tax that has recently been placed on E-free gasoline. This tax causes those fortunate enough to have E0 available to pay 20-30¢ more per gallon, an unnecessary and artificially inflated price.
MahopacJack Champion Author New York Posts:8,011 Points:1,582,995 Joined:Feb 2008	Message Posted: Jun 30, 2012 11:55:53 PM Ignore MahopacJack Report Abuse And the high corn prices were the result of...... ?
dabbadu Champion Author New York Posts:1,056 Points:660,255 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: Jun 30, 2012 11:55:36 PM Ignore dabbadu Report Abuse High time.
bonzoonfmb Champion Author Florida Posts:1,782 Points:643,835 Joined:Feb 2010	Message Posted: Jun 30, 2012 11:55:01 PM Ignore bonzoonfmb Report Abuse Ha Ha. I hope the ethanol producers go broke.
pgerassi Champion Author Milwaukee Posts:10,896 Points:2,131,605 Joined:Apr 2007	Message Posted: Jun 30, 2012 11:54:57 PM Ignore pgerassi Report Abuse Success breeds some problems. Once the heat wave is over, prices will drop and plants can restart.
tidalwave3 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:1,302 Points:1,462,810 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Jun 30, 2012 11:53:49 PM Ignore tidalwave3 Report Abuse Make popcorn not ethanol :)
GLCSHADOW Champion Author Oregon Posts:1,616 Points:1,886,435 Joined:Dec 2005	Message Posted: Jun 30, 2012 11:52:52 PM Ignore GLCSHADOW Report Abuse Dump ethanol. Bad idea and getting worse as time goes by.
69Bonne Champion Author Gary Posts:1,150 Points:473,150 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Jun 30, 2012 11:52:41 PM Ignore 69Bonne Report Abuse Whey do we need it anyway? Just to support corn? Remember when more corn was being used for Ethanol, jacking up demand, and higher food prices.
Taurus1 Champion Author Ohio Posts:3,125 Points:1,673,500 Joined:Apr 2006	Message Posted: Jun 30, 2012 11:52:40 PM Ignore Taurus1 Report Abuse corn prices go up & less gas purchased.....hummmmmmmm.
mstearno Champion Author Dayton Posts:8,066 Points:1,731,235 Joined:Jan 2008	Message Posted: Jun 30, 2012 11:47:42 PM Ignore mstearno Report Abuse no food for fuel
gumbyrex Champion Author Fresno Posts:3,296 Points:758,315 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Jun 30, 2012 11:45:10 PM Ignore gumbyrex Report Abuse Definitely a step in the right direction. Keep the plants idle forever.
Ahking Champion Author Orange County Posts:3,507 Points:603,450 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Jun 30, 2012 11:44:32 PM Ignore Ahking Report Abuse Ethanol was a transitional fuel.
TheHermit Champion Author Maine Posts:3,404 Points:127,780 Joined:May 2012	Message Posted: Jun 30, 2012 11:40:24 PM Ignore TheHermit Report Abuse I agree with the Darkknight
csblesson Champion Author Texas Posts:1,811 Points:352,150 Joined:May 2012	Message Posted: Jun 30, 2012 11:40:23 PM Ignore csblesson Report Abuse Ok, USA will grow, brazil will starve
clermont40miles Champion Author Cincinnati Posts:10,569 Points:1,771,920 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Jun 30, 2012 11:40:07 PM Ignore clermont40miles Report Abuse Ethanol is a losing proposition. Subsidies are gone so profit - at expense of US taxpayers - is also gone.
serrog Champion Author Nova Scotia Posts:5,564 Points:1,512,130 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Jun 30, 2012 11:39:05 PM Ignore serrog Report Abuse Good news
jlisk1970_us Sophomore Author St. Louis Posts:233 Points:94,930 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: Jun 30, 2012 11:37:27 PM Ignore jlisk1970_us Report Abuse always something.
us4usa Champion Author Missouri Posts:5,987 Points:1,112,310 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Jun 30, 2012 11:36:38 PM Ignore us4usa Report Abuse Not good when chops are over $14 for #100...
JimL1 Champion Author Phoenix Posts:8,217 Points:1,241,520 Joined:Jul 2003	Message Posted: Jun 30, 2012 11:34:55 PM Ignore JimL1 Report Abuse Now if the Republican congress would just repeal the law requiring ethanol in gasoline instead of Whining about ObamaCare.
darkknight1 Champion Author Winston-Salem Posts:4,335 Points:895,085 Joined:Nov 2010	Message Posted: Jun 30, 2012 11:32:53 PM Ignore darkknight1 Report Abuse Wish they'd do away with all ethanol in gas
AKmailman Champion Author Alaska Posts:5,633 Points:1,557,565 Joined:Jul 2004	Message Posted: Jun 30, 2012 11:29:56 PM Ignore AKmailman Report Abuse old news, anyway, corn is for eating not for fuel
MRHONEST Champion Author Illinois Posts:2,212 Points:1,675,680 Joined:May 2007	Message Posted: Jun 30, 2012 11:29:55 PM Ignore MRHONEST Report Abuse SO!
IrishCowboy Champion Author Fort Wayne Posts:1,431 Points:572,355 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Jun 30, 2012 11:29:53 PM Ignore IrishCowboy Report Abuse It's too bad they're only doing it because the corn prices are high. They should be cutting back production because it's a stupid idea to burn our food for fuel.
ace12012 Champion Author Phoenix Posts:1,665 Points:324,385 Joined:Apr 2012	Message Posted: Jun 30, 2012 11:29:37 PM Ignore ace12012 Report Abuse hope ethanol gas goes away.
big_mac64 Champion Author Tennessee Posts:10,593 Points:1,485,690 Joined:May 2005	Message Posted: Jun 30, 2012 11:26:59 PM Ignore big_mac64 Report Abuse I read this same story by the same source yesterday....
KhelbenArunson Champion Author Michigan Posts:4,441 Points:717,640 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Jun 30, 2012 11:24:46 PM Ignore KhelbenArunson Report Abuse Well perhaps they should make it more cost effective? or come up with a cheap alternative fuel.
Wildman14 Champion Author Virginia Posts:3,675 Points:834,905 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Jun 30, 2012 11:23:50 PM Ignore Wildman14 Report Abuse Shouldn't have been using corn to begin with.
carloco75 Champion Author Richmond Posts:3,716 Points:600,365 Joined:Oct 2010	Message Posted: Jun 30, 2012 11:19:12 PM Ignore carloco75 Report Abuse Thank goodness this garbage isn't in Diesel...
hank1326 Champion Author Los Angeles Posts:8,909 Points:1,732,835 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Jun 30, 2012 11:18:07 PM Ignore hank1326 Report Abuse NO MORE ETHANOL PLEASE!! Time for more cost efficient domestic energy options.
Feud Champion Author Ontario Posts:2,081 Points:306,265 Joined:Feb 2007	Message Posted: Jun 30, 2012 11:17:25 PM Ignore Feud Report Abuse Yup.
BigDenOH Champion Author Cincinnati Posts:2,349 Points:578,350 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Jun 30, 2012 11:12:44 PM Ignore BigDenOH Report Abuse Wow
mgune9 All-Star Author Dallas Posts:914 Points:200,395 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: Jun 30, 2012 11:12:15 PM Ignore mgune9 Report Abuse get rid of ethanol and EPA
gavinON All-Star Author Toronto Posts:562 Points:112,935 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Jun 30, 2012 11:12:05 PM Ignore gavinON Report Abuse hmmm
sillywagon Champion Author New York Posts:14,883 Points:1,440,370 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Jun 30, 2012 11:09:28 PM Ignore sillywagon Report Abuse Good news! The more idle corn ethanol plants... the better.
Number43 Champion Author Lexington Posts:8,697 Points:1,638,170 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Jun 30, 2012 11:09:12 PM Ignore Number43 Report Abuse Corn is people food. Use natural gas not corn to fuel cars.
Number43 Champion Author Lexington Posts:8,697 Points:1,638,170 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Jun 30, 2012 11:07:37 PM Ignore Number43 Report Abuse They are the ones who have caused the high prices.
nigelb Champion Author Virginia Posts:8,454 Points:1,390,780 Joined:Feb 2008	Message Posted: Jun 30, 2012 11:07:30 PM Ignore nigelb Report Abuse No one should be surprised that ethanol makers are controlling the supply and price by controlling production!