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(08-03-2020 04:51 PM)Captain Bearcat Wrote:  About 40% of US corn production goes into ethanol.

But without the ethanol demand, that production wouldn't happen. The ethanol mandate started in 2005. US corn production has almost doubled since the late 90s. This is despite having fewer acres to farm on - we've actually let a lot of the less productive land go back to pastures and be taken over for parkland in the last 20-30 years.

Yes, the USA has industrialized food production more than in other countries. It's actually because we have less government interference in farming than Europe does. Europe heavily subsidizes their farms on the theory that it's a cultural heritage. As a result, 2/3 of European farms are less than 5 hectares (about 12 acres).

Yep...Europe subsidizes farms at a rate just south of what we subsidize oil at the currentl point with their value downturn. Its kind of an either/or situation, less expensive endive or potato OR less expensive gas, i know what I'd choose, but I'm also not food insecure.