Subject: your government at work
****ripped from the headlines****

China's Shrinking Hog Herd Hits U.S. Corn Exports

I mean, they have just literally fallen off of the map here the last couple of years in terms of corn exports, and that's directly related to the number of hogs that they have, and directly related to their population dropping

https://www.aginfo.net/report/...

"I'm from the government, and I'm here to help"

EPA Approves E15 Gas Blend for Summer, Hoping to Get Prices Down

The Environmental Protection Agency is allowing the higher blend of ethanol gas in an effort to lower fuel prices, despite concerns that it could worsen smog.

The EPA's waiver goes into effect on May 1 and runs through May 20, with the 20-day period using the full allotment allowed under the Clean Air Act. According to the EPA's statement, the agency will continue to monitor the fuel situation throughout the window and is prepared to extend it if the situation doesn't change.

Jason Hill, a professor at the University of Minnesota who studies food, energy markets, and environmental consequences, told PBS that the waiver may not actually lower costs for consumers. According to Hill, the additional corn used for ethanol means less corn for animal feed, which will directly increase the cost to raise cattle, and could trickle down to higher groceries. "I think it's difficult to see when the ledger's settled, how this is a benefit for U.S. consumers," Hill told PBS.

https://www.caranddriver.com/n...

The energy balance, and cost effectiveness of corn derived ethanol have always been debatable. The extra money flowing into farmer's pockets from the added demand is not. Given the short period, seems likely someone with juice had a lot of product to move.

Steve