Corn Ethanol’s climate perks under scrutiny by EPA board

Sep 26, 2023

Tensions are rising as the Renewable Fuels Association and EPA’s Science Advisory Board (SAB) clash over the climate benefits of corn ethanol. The Association’s CEO, Geoff Cooper, is staunchly defending ethanol's environmental benefits against the board’s uncertainties.

The Renewable Fuels Standard was established with the goal of curbing emissions. However, a recent draft by the SAB has raised questions on whether corn ethanol, a predominant renewable fuel, truly reduces emissions compared to fossil fuels.

Cooper isn’t backing down. He referenced numerous studies that demonstrate corn ethanol’s ability to cut emissions by 40-50%, contrary to fossil fuels. He brought attention to research by Argonne National Laboratory, which was absent in the SAB’s report, supporting the significant reduction of emissions through corn ethanol.

The SAB’s concerns center around the potential environmental impact of expanding croplands for corn ethanol. Contrary to this, Cooper presented EPA data indicating a reduction in U.S. agricultural land since 2007, challenging the expansion concerns.

Source : wisconsinagconnection

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.