"A Sustainable Solution for the Corn Belt" New York Times Op-Ed Mark Bittman

"It’s easy enough to argue that one of the most productive agricultural
regions in the world could be better used than to cover it with just two crops
— the two crops that contribute most to the sad state of our dietary affairs,
and that are used primarily for animal food, junk food and
thermodynamically questionable biofuels."

"In recent years, many Iowa farmers have believed that if they weren’t
100 percent “in” corn, they weren’t doing a good job. Because of the pressure
to plant, many of them have expanded their cultivated areas beyond where it
makes sense, creating erosion and runoff problems. Iowa is among the
major contributors to the Gulf of Mexico’s “dead zone,” a direct result of
fertilizer runoff into the Mississippi water system, and half of Iowa’s topsoil
has been lost."
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/19/opinion/a-sustainable-solution-for-the-corn-belt.html

"E.P.A. Postpones Setting Standards for Biofuel Blends" New York Times

"The market is saturated with regular corn ethanol, while production of cellulosic,
or so-called advanced, biofuel — made from nonfood parts of corn plants or
other biomass like wood waste — has fallen short of what the mandate requires refiners to use."

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/22/business/energy-environment/epa-postpones-setting-standards-for-biofuel-blends.html?_r=0

"EPA Delays Renewable Fuels Decision" 24/7 Wall St.

"In a brief statement on Friday the EPA said:

Finalization of the 2014 standards rule has been significantly delayed. Due to this delay, and given ongoing consideration of the issues presented by the commenters, EPA is not in a position to finalize the 2014 RFS standards rule before the end of the year. Accordingly, we intend to take action on the 2014 standards rule in 2015 prior to or in conjunction with action on the 2015 standards rule."

Read more: EPA Delays Renewable Fuels Decision - 24/7 Wall St. http://247wallst.com/energy-economy/2014/11/23/epa-delays-renewable-fuels-decision/#ixzz3JwZu3YiX

"Don’t Ask How to Feed the 9 Billion" New York Times 2014 Mark Bittman

"Poverty isn’t the only problem, of course. There is also the virtually
unregulated food system that is geared toward making money rather than
feeding people. (Look no further than the ethanol mandate or high fructose
corn syrup for evidence.)"

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/12/opinion/dont-ask-how-to-feed-the-9-billion.html?smid=fb-share&_r=0