Creating more value from less land requires even more care and stewardship.
The number of U.S. acres of corn production
has dropped by 3 percent since 1980. Yet
total annual corn production in the United States
has increased by 66 percent in that time.
That’s a credit to the resourcefulness of
America’s corn producers.
Advancements in biotechnology have helped
increase corn yields while dramatically reducing
the use of pesticides and chemicals. Biotechnology
is an environmentally sound way to manage
insect pressure on crops without upsetting the
natural balance of the ecosystem. By employing
scientifically sound practices, corn producers are
ensuring that the world enjoys the benefits of
the responsible application of biotechnology.
American farmers have  always been good
stewards of the land, since their very livelihood depends on it. U.S. corn producers have integrated
no-till practices and created
tens of thousands of acres of
buffer strips, thousands of
miles of windbreaks and
applied other conservation
techniques to protect the
quality of the land and water. Increased pressure
on arable acres has raised the bar on stewardship
even higher—and American corn producers
have proven up to the task.
In addition to energy security, one of the great
benefits of corn-based ethanol is its powerful and
positive effect on America’s air and water quality. Ethanol has  helped several major American cities
meet federal clean air standards, thanks to the
reduction of toxic exhaust emissions and lower
greenhouse gas levels.
Adding ethanol to gasoline also dilutes the
levels of toxic compounds found in gasoline.
Additionally, ethanol disperses harmlessly in
water, helping to lower the environmental
impact of fuel spills.
Fuels cells are the next wave of automotive
technology. Fuel cells operate on hydrogen,
which can be reformed or extracted from fuels
such as ethanol. Because ethanol is renewable,
is domestically produced and has a relatively
simple molecular structure, it is poised to be
the hydrogen source of choice for fuel cells. |
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Biotech corn hybrids have
enabled American corn
producers to reduce the
use of pesticides. In 2004,
the use of biotech hybrids
resulted in a 23.3 million
pound reduction in the use of
pesticide active ingredients.
Thanks to increased efficiencies
in both ethanol production
and corn production, the net
energy balance of ethanol
production is now 1.67 to 1.
In other words, ethanol
production results in 67%
more energy than it takes to
grow the corn and produce
the ethanol.
2005 marked the 10th
anniversary of the introduction
of the first biotech corn hybrids.
In 2005, more than 52 percent
of the nation's corn acres were
planted with biotech hybrids.
Wal-Mart plans to use 114
million compostable PLA
clamshell containers each
year-resulting in a reduction
of 800,000 gallons of oil
and 11 million pounds of
greenhouse gas emissions.
An Illinois company is
developing rugs made from
100 percent PLA. Every
5' x 8' rug will displace
one-third of a gallon of oil. |
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NATIONAL CORN GROWERS ASSOCIATION 
