There is no shortage of safe, affordable foods on America’s grocery shelves, even as irresponsible and false headlines warn of skyrocketing food prices due to corn demand. In fact, recent studies have shown that energy prices have a significantly greater impact on food prices than does the price of corn. In other words, the cost of driving to the store has increased at a much greater rate than the
cost of the food once you get there.

In spite of the increased demand for corn used in ethanol production, Americans still spend less than 10 percent of U.S. household income on food—the lowest percentage in the world—and well below the figure for other nations such as Japan, Mexico and France.

Only a small percentage of corn grown in the United States is actually consumed by humans. The highest percentage is fed to livestock to produce meat, milk and eggs for consumption here and abroad.

Ethanol fuel production only uses the starch in the corn kernel. The protein, fat and other nutrients are used for other food and feed products. For example, ethanol plants also produce distillers grains, a high-value feed that is replacing corn in traditional beef, pork, poultry and dairy rations.

Bottom line:We are getting more out of a kernel of corn by creating not only more fuel, but more food for animals and people around the world.