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It's not politics as usual for some Ohio corn growers whose futures are tied to ethanol
By Paula Schleis
Beacon Journal business writer
Published on Monday, Oct 27, 2008
Rural America might still feel more closely aligned with the Republican Party's conservative social views, but it's the Democrats who are supporting the ethanol and subsidy policies that benefit so many farmers.
Ohio's corn growers are among those scratching their heads as they head to the polls next month.
A federal ''renewable fuels standard'' guarantees ethanol a place in the country's energy system, and today 8 billion gallons of ethanol supplement gasoline supplies.
Those mandates encouraged the building of seven ethanol refineries in Ohio this year, a $1 billion investment that put hundreds of people to work, raised prices for the grain, and brought the biofuel market to the front porch of the state's agricultural industry.
Sen. Barack Obama, the Democratic presidential candidate from the Corn Belt state of Illinois, supports continuing the renewable fuels standard.
Sen. John McCain, the Republican candidate from Arizona, has said he will ''push our country to make the necessary choices'' in alternate energy, but that Washington should not mandate such activity.
Dwayne Siekman, executive director of the Ohio Corn Growers Association, said the divergent views make for ''an interesting choice in the rural community.''
Corn farmers ''are saying [the ethanol mandate] is what has made me in the last two to three years and it's the future of my industry, and here's my political allegiance (to the Republican Party) and they want to stop
that,'' he said.
McCain and Obama also have opposing views about farm subsidies — a financial safety net for the country's food providers, whose professions are tied to the whims of weather and nature.
Obama supports subsidies and favored recent reforms to steer the assistance away from large commercial operations toward smaller family farms.
McCain says any government interference hurts taxpayers, consumers and the free market.
Doug O'Brien, rural vote director for the Ohio for Change Obama Campaign, said he's heard from a number of farmers about their concerns.
''We've definitely seen a significant number of farmers who have traditionally supported the Republican candidate who have been giving this election a second thought,'' he said.
Making waves
Last month, a group of eight national agriculture leaders — including Fred Yoder of Plain City, Ohio, a former president of the National Corn Growers Association — caused waves when they announced their support for Obama.
Yoder explained his stance in a letter addressed to McCain and posted on the Internet.
''What incentives will there be to sink enormous sums of money into research to develop these new fuels if there is no ready market for them? . . . In essence, by taking away the renewable fuels standard, there will be a national mandate to use only gasoline. How does that help in reducing our reliance on imported oil?'' he wrote.
John Wallbrown, who owns the 2,800-acre Deerfield Farms in Portage County, said he has heard from peers upset with the Republican Party.
''McCain will probably lose some votes this year,'' he said.
Ohio's ethanol refineries have given Wallbrown a new market for his corn, and he hopes to increase that side of his business.
But he said he'll probably still punch his ballot for McCain because of shared views on issues like abortion and marriage.
''Those things are important to me,'' he said. ''I think Barack Obama is a good man and would probably be a good leader, but socially, we disagree.''
As for McCain's stance on ending farm subsidies, Wallbrown said that's something his industry might have to accept.
Those who support Republicans because they see it as the party of smaller government can't argue that their profession is the sole exception, he said.
Unprecedented access
Wherever they stand, Ohio's farmers are getting unprecedented access to Washington.
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Lorain, is the first Ohioan in more than 40 years to sit on the Senate Agriculture Committee.
Brown was largely responsible for six major provisions in the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008, commonly called the ''Farm Bill,'' according to his spokesperson, Meghan Dubyak.
Among other things, the bill limits subsidies to full-time farmers whose income doesn't exceed $750,000, or part-time farmers and farm investors whose income doesn't exceed $250,000.
This month, Ohio farmers also had the opportunity to address the Senate committee. It typically meets in Washington but has been conducting field hearings.
Last week, the committee came to Steubenville to hear how farmers are being affected by the current economic turmoil.
One issue facing many farmers is that for the first time, many must pay for next year's fertilizer today to lock in prices that seem to have no ceiling in sight, and out of fear that demand from developing nations like China and India will create a shortage.
Deerfield's Wallbrown said he was paying about $120 a ton for potash — one of his fertilizer ingredients — just five years ago. Currently, it's going for about $800 a ton, he said.
So he has already purchased his supply for next year.
''For years and years, we could count on what our inputs would be,'' he said. ''But over the last year and a half, the apple cart has been upset.''
Unexpected strain
Siekman, of the Ohio Corn Growers Association, said having to buy fertilizer this year is an unexpected strain on most budgets.
''That's a sizable investment for some farmers,'' he said.
Still, politics and inputs aside, most farmers right now are focused on the harvest, said Mike Miller of Ohio State University's extension office in Medina County.
The corn and soybean are coming out, and the winter wheat is going in.
''Agriculture is not very forgiving. If you don't get things planted, you begin to lose yield,'' he said. So ''they're not spending a lot of time on what's going to happen next year. They've got this year to worry about.''
And whatever the future holds, 2008 hasn't been a bad year.
''What I've heard is most of the fellas are at least satisfied with what they're getting,'' Miller said.
Paula Schleis can be reached at 330-996-3741 or pschleis@thebeaconjournal.com.
Rural America might still feel more closely aligned with the Republican Party's conservative social views, but it's the Democrats who are supporting the ethanol and subsidy policies that benefit so many farmers.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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Posted 07:48 AM, 10/27/2008
It is the democrats that support this absolutely bogus and wasteful ethanol supplement program!!!
"David Pimentel, a professor of ecology at Cornell University who has been studying grain alcohol for 20 years, and Tad Patzek, an engineering professor at the University of California, Berkeley, co-wrote a recent report that estimates that making ethanol from corn requires 29 percent more fossil energy than the ethanol fuel itself actually contains." So give me a break farmers-- There is a greater market out there for you-- Its called feeding the masses--- You are needed in this regard...
Another Liberal Akron Beacon Journal Artical supporting the socialist Obama Agenda---no shame...
Posted 07:56 AM, 10/27/2008
So now I am beginning to think not only are we to be concerned about quisling journalists such as the one who wrote this article but also farmers who don't give a hoot about running a business that actually would benefit the country...
Posted 08:05 AM, 10/27/2008
So now we have to not only be concerned about quisling journalists such as the above- but also farmers who run a financially lucrative business based upon a scam on the American people…What is happening to this country?? What is right is wrong –What is wrong is right…. Need a revelation and a revolution.
akron, oh
Posted 09:01 AM, 10/27/2008
This Guy is BRILLENT... I cant believe he is still in business.
His Fertilizer bill went from $120 a ton to $800 a ton. And he is going to vote for the guy that isn't for Subsidies. Because of his stand on ABORTION..... WOW...
They Do make em dumb in deerfield . That guy must live and work Close to that dump out there.
Posted 09:10 AM, 10/27/2008
Annoying how you guys trash farmers and question their patriotism. Willy Nelson sells ethanol. I like him, and I think he is as patriotic as anyone.
All of Brazil, a country the size of the lower 48, runs on alcohol made from sugarcane.
The studies done by Pimental and Patzek have one glaring, incredible, 800-pound gorilla error: They ignore farm subsidies, paid yearly, amounting to two billion dollars, to farmers NOT TO GROW their crops, in an effort to keep product from market and support prices.
This is dysfunctional government intervention. Take away the subsidies, let the farmers grow, let people put ethanol and alcohol into their cars. Better for farmers, better for our atmosphere.
Vegetable fuel production can be an intermediate step. It has the distinct, and powerful advantage, that every dollar we spend here, paying our farmers, is another dollar we don't send to the Saudis and others who hate us.
McCain wants to build more nuclear plants. Nuclear plants never make money. They require huge government investments, and the issue of left-over nuclear waste, which must be safely stored for at least 25000 years, has not been solved.
Posted 09:13 AM, 10/27/2008
Well I just spelled out what it takes to make a gallon of ethanol, but it is gone. Gee willickers what goes here.
Posted 09:13 AM, 10/27/2008
I can never seem to understand why someone would vote against their interests and the best interests of the nation because of abortion or marriage. Abortion is a moot point, marriage is private and a religious institution. These are private, personal issues to be taken up with one's religious beliefs, not to have government intervention. I never understood how Republicans can say "big government" has no business touching my guns, but go ahead and mandate what our women and consenting adults can do. If you want less government, quit giving them things to monitor.
Anyway, McCain doesn't want the government to subsidize farmers? Those refineries will create jobs in Ohio in farm communities. Those subsidies help keep the number of farms up increasing our food supply/feed/etc instead of wiping some out when bad weather or crop hits which would increase prices for everyone. The man's letter said it best. McCain has no intention of searching into alternatives if he isn't going to look at what is already out there. He has the same philosophy as Bush and keeping us dependant on oil so increase the wealth for lobbyists like he employees on his staff. He has no regard for safety or environmental issues of nuclear power as he recently said "blah, blah, blah" about them.
Posted 09:14 AM, 10/27/2008
I guess you will have to research ethanol on your own, which I hope you will because the ABJ won't
Posted 09:35 AM, 10/27/2008
They tell me at the grocery store the the doubling in the price of cooking oil is directly related for the demand of corn for ethenol. I dont know but it sure makes me wonder.
Posted 10:34 AM, 10/27/2008
Karen
You are right. The same goes for eggs, tortillas, pork and beef. I outlined this but the article I wrote got zapped.
Ethanol is also destroying ground water. Ethanol production is eliminating wetlands as farmers are returning to fencepost to fencepost planting and draining wetlands for more corn planting.
Posted 10:40 AM, 10/27/2008
I have total respect for Ohio farmers and would like to see them prosper, and buy Ohio products as much as possible, but Ethanol is not a solution!! Again the govern. was wrong on this one and mislead the people. I support the other ideas, wind, solar. If I could afford it, I would solar power my home and stop giving the corporations my money. We don't need them. We have our planet.
Posted 11:09 AM, 10/27/2008
Why in the world would one write that Abortion is a moot Point??? Infanticide is a moot point??? Wallbrown, the Deerfield Farmer, has a conscience as I suspect most farmers do...And will be making the right choice to vote for McCain and Palin...What's wrong is right and right is wrong--these Libs conform to this twisted thinking...
Posted 11:14 AM, 10/27/2008
Why in the world would one write that Abortion is a moot Point??? Infanticide is a moot point??? Walborn, the Deerfield Farmer, has a conscience as I suspect most farmers do...And will be making the right choice to vote for McCain and Palin...
Posted 11:59 AM, 10/27/2008
If anyone wants to know for sure how to tell Obama is a liar, just see if his lips are moving.
Posted 12:10 PM, 10/27/2008
This President and this Congress in large part caused the economic collapse. Bush and his appointees are in the process of socializing the financial and automotive sectors, and potentially homes. If we do have a socialist President, he should have a very smooth transition. Obama says he has a “righteous wind at his back.” True and I hope good wins over evil in this election.
Posted 01:46 PM, 10/27/2008
I'll tell you where his wind is coming from and it aint righteous and it aint "at his back"--- its coming from his back side...
Posted 02:36 PM, 10/27/2008
I guess most of the people blogging here are affraid of change, afraid that the party that buttered there bread is not going to be there to help them when they lose money.
Emmett when you were in Kindegarten didn't you learn that when you help those less fortunate than you everyone wins. If just looking for yours and don't have a conscience then vote Republican. If you want to try to make the world a better place vote Democrat.
Posted 02:49 PM, 10/27/2008
Actually I learned this not only in Kindergarden but from my parents, from my church etc. And I believe we should help those less fortunate than us...Truly do. In fact I practice this. This, however, should not be mandated nor imposed by government... Government's definition of those less fortunate is too often not the same as mine or other USA's citizens...People such as Stalin and Gorbashov ran a government who had their own definition of helping those less fortunate - all for the common good.
Posted 03:01 PM, 10/27/2008
By the way I am not afraid of change-- if the direction of change is in the "right" direction--no pun intended...You do not change for change sake and you need to know where you are headed...For example-- I am for change if it means calling to account the corrupt politicians that got us in this economic mess to begin with...Shummer, Obama, Dodd, Rangle, Palozi, Reid etc... I am for change if it means that we no longer will be killing our babies...I am for change if it means that marriage is between a man and a woman...I am for change if it means that we support our military so that we can have a safer America---I could go on but well you get my drift...
Posted 05:04 PM, 10/27/2008
Obama is the best choice, are you better off today than eight years ago? I'm in the health care profession and mostly safe, are you?
Posted 05:37 PM, 10/27/2008
Corn ethanol is a total brainwashing of American people. It takes more energy to make than it produces. Sugar cane ethanol is just the opposite - it's cheaper to make and takes less energy to produce making it a much better product (and less expensive). Plus making it from sugar cane does not affect the cost of other foods like making it from corn does.
I do respect farmers, they make up a good portion of this country's backbone. But is it time to end subsidies? Yes. Let the chips fall where they may, which ends up with us consumers paying more, but that's how it should be.
Stow, OH
Posted 05:41 PM, 10/27/2008
"I can no more disown rev Wright Dice Clay anymore than I can my old white granny...what's that, he's on mainstream news looking like an idiot..., I mean I hardly know the guy, he's like a crazy old uncle and I uh, uh, really didn't go to church that much anyway..."
Akron, OH
Posted 08:58 AM, 06/04/2009
Producing commercial ethanol from corn is a terrible idea. It's a mistake to think people will jump into farming because there's a new market for corn - there's no new farmland being created and the process is too wasteful to be practical. Diverting food production to fuel production is just mindless.
Our government should not be wasting our taxes to subsidize non-production of anything.
