[USCC] FW: CAST Publication on Ethanol Production for Energy

[Jim McNelly]

>>
>>
>>
>>----------
>>From: Nick Zimmermann [mailto:nickz at umd.edu]
>>Sent: Monday, November 13, 2006 6:33 PM
>>To:
>>Subject: CAST Publication on Ethanol Production for Energy
>>
>>Greetings,
>>
>>Here is a timely CAST publication that you can 
>>freely download 
>>(<http://www.cast-science.org>http://www.cast-science.org) 
>>on Tuesday, November 14, 2006.
>>
>>Nick Z
>>
>>
>>For Immediate Release



>>CAST Releases New Commentary Evaluating the 
>>Potential Impacts of Intersection of Agriculture and Energy



>>November 14, 2006
¦Indianapolis, Indiana
Access 
>>to an adequate energy supply at reasonabble 
>>cost is crucial for sustained economic growth. 
>>Unfortunately, high petroleum prices and the 
>>uncertainty of dependence on imports from 
>>politically unstable regions decrease the 
>>reliability of U.S. energy supplies and hinder 
>>economic development. Although biofuels have 
>>been identified as an important component of 
>>the U.S strategy to decrease dependence on 
>>imported oil, the ability to sustain a rapid 
>>expansion of biofuel production capacity raises 
>>new research and policy issues. A new CAST 
>>Commentary titled Convergence of Agriculture 
>>and Energy: Implications for Research and 
>>Policy seeks to identify the most critical of 
>>these issues to help inform the policy 
>>development process. The goal is to enhance the 
>>long-term economic and environmental viability 
>>of the biofuel industry and its positive impact 
>>on agriculture, rural communities, and national security.



>>Because grain-based ethanol is currently the 
>>USA's only major source of biofuels, and 
>>because the magnitude of increase in 
>>grain-ethanol production is expected to have a 
>>large impact on commodity prices, agricultural 
>>profitability, and global food security, this 
>>Commentary focuses on the key issues concerning 
>>corn-based ethanol production systems over the 
>>next 5 to 10 years, says Task Force Chair Dr. 
>>Kenneth G. Cassman, Director of the Nebraska 
>>Center for Energy Sciences, University of Nebraska, Lincoln.



>>Much of the discussion also is relevant to 
>>fostering development and sustainability of 
>>other biofuels systems, including ethanol from 
>>sugar crops and ligno-cellulosic biomass, and biodiesel from oilseed crops.
>>Convergence of Agriculture and Energy: 
>>Implications for Research and Policy covers 
>>several critical questions, including: How much 
>>corn-ethanol needs to be produced? Can enough 
>>corn be produced for food, feed, and fuel? Can 
>>all coproducts be used? What are the 
>>environmental impacts of grain-ethanol systems? 
>>What are the economic impacts on rural 
>>development? and What are the research and 
>>policy implications of an expanded grain-ethanol industry?



>>As the United States moves to replace volatile 
>>oil energy supplies with agricultural 
>>commodities, it is vital that decision makers 
>>and the general public be aware of the many 
>>possibilities as well as the small print behind 
>>such decisions, concludes CAST Executive Vice 
>>President John M. Bonner.  Providing a balanced 
>>evaluation of pertinent agricultural and 
>>technology issues is CAST's long-time 
>>commitment, and we are pleased to release this 
>>latest Commentary as a source of science-based 
>>information for the current discussion.



>>The full text of Convergence of Agriculture and 
>>Energy: Implications for Research and Policy 
>>(CAST Commentary QTA 2006-3) is available 
>>online without charge at the CAST website 
>>(<http://www.cast-science.org>www.cast-science.org), 
>>along with many of CAST's other scientific 
>>publications. CAST is an international 
>>consortium of 38 scientific and professional 
>>societies. It assembles, interprets, and 
>>communicates credible science-based information 
>>regionally, nationally, and internationally to 
>>legislators, regulators, policymakers, the 
>>media, the private sector, and the public.
>>
>>Contacts:
>>Dr. Kenneth G. Cassman—Phone: 402-472-5554; 
>>E-mail: <mmailto:kcassman1 at unl.edu>kcassman1 at unl.edu
>>Dr. John M. Bonner—Phone: 515-292-2125, ext. 
>>25; E-mail: <mailto:jbonner at cast-science.org><jbonner at cast-science.org>
>>
>>
>>--
>>Nickolas G. Zimmermann, Ph.D.
>>Associate Professor
>>Department of Animal and Avian Sciences
>>3151 Animal Sciences Building
>>University of Maryland College Park
>>College Park, MDÂ  20742-2311
>>301-405-2805Â  301-314-9059 Fax
>><mailto:NickZ at umd.edu>NickZ at umd.edu
>>http://www.umd.edu/MNC