The way it was, 1987-1999: Early Leopold Center challenges

Iowans would have to be living in a cave not to be caught up in the news hype about how turn- ing much of our corn into ethanol promises to move us toward energy independence. But what are the possible risks? First, there is not enough corn available to feed ethanol plants, livestock (beef, swine, dairy and poultry), export markets and other myriad uses of this miracle grain. Secondly, this rush has the potential to cause serious environmental and social damage and will provide little benefit to rural communities.

By the time the corn-based ethanol rush has peaked, we could well see an increase of 12 million corn acres nationwide, perhaps up to 1 million more acres just in Iowa. Iowa has the potential to approach a corn monoculture, with the resulting issues of increased pests and diseases and the loss of biodiversity associated with a monoculture. Further, greatly increased nitrogen fertilizer use will accelerate nitrogen loss to the Gulf of Mexico, resulting in more hypoxia. Soil erosion would be greatly increased, particularly on the Conservation Reserve Program acres that will go under the plow in the coming years.

Already, land values and land rents are increasing, as are input costs. The profits of $4 corn soon will be eaten up with the greater expenses. And opportunities for beginning farmers will decline as farm size increases.

This impending social, ecological and economic disaster can be avoided with policies that move us toward perennial biofuels (grasses and trees). These crops, if produced in a sustainable manner, offer large benefits to local economies. The environmental and economic benefits are clear: cellulosic feedstocks from perennials have far higher energy return than corn-based ethanol, and have proven environmental and biodiversity benefits. Mixed swards of grasses would have more stability and would stretch out the harvest time.

Biomass is a bulky, low-density material that costs more to transport per energy unit than corn. Economics dictate it will have to be processed locally in small volume refineries, contributing greatly to local economies. Studies indicate that biomass, unlike ethanol, will produce far more energy than is required for its production, and its use releases far less carbon dioxide – the main greenhouse gas – for a given amount of energy than do gasoline, coal or corn-based ethanol. In addition to liquid fuels, biomass offers other opportunities for increased energy such as production of synthetic gas, heat and electricity.

The benefits of biomass will not accrue without research and development to establish perennials on the land and policies in our government that support sustainably-produced biofuels. Should the industry concentrate, for example, on crop residues such as corn stalks, erosion would be enhanced and the corn monoculture continued. Ownership of refineries should be local, keeping profits within the community.

The research needed to develop economical biorefineries is just getting started, and it will probably be a decade before the technologies are widely adopted. But now is the time to develop the needed cropping systems. The Leopold Center can be a primary catalyst for creating sustainable biomass cropping systems in Iowa. Long-term teams with a broad mix of economists, farmers and scientists will help research and guide programs underway at Iowa State. These teams also will add a unique twist, combining the Center’s credibility within the sustainable agriculture community with other farmers who could benefit from these cropping systems.

The Center could greatly aid the progress of sustainable biofuels by developing sustainable standards for cellulosic ethanol including low-input fossil fuels for growing, harvesting and processing the materials; maintaining and increasing biodiversity; minimizing erosion; and providing benefits for rural communities. Continued attention will need to be paid to nutrient balances, and critical issues such as harvesting to maximize wildlife habitat.

Biofuels are never going to provide energy independence. Even if we approach the 60 billion gallons per year suggested as a renewable fuel standard for 2030, the nation’s transportation fuel use is predicted to rise to a staggering 290 billion gallons per year. Conservation will be absolutely necessary to get the nation on a road to energy independence. That policy, which seems so necessary, is one which the nation – in fact, the world – does not seem to be able to embrace.