Stakeholders Launch Proactive Message

October 6, 2008

Remember in "Dragnet" when Joe Friday always said he just wanted the facts? American consumers also want the facts, and they are often bombarded with them. Unfortunately, the facts aren't always what they seem.

The ethanol industry experienced this in a fiery round of "environmental blame game" after two studies were posted in mid-February in Science Express. The papers, authored by Timothy Searchinger and Joseph Fargione, reached conclusions regarding the greenhouse gas emissions associated with potential global land-use changes caused by increasing biofuels demand, specifically for corn-based ethanol. Their conclusions were considered debatable and even ridiculous by some in the scientific community.

With the studies promoted by forces opposing corn-based ethanol, prominent media outlets from Time to USA Today were quick to pick up on these studies. Unfortunately, these media failed to consult experts in the field of biofuels life-cycle analysis, such as Bruce Dale of Michigan State University and Michael Wang of the U.S. DOE's Argonne National Laboratory. Both agree that the studies by Searchinger and Fargione raise important issues. However, Dale and Wang questioned many of their assumptions, and termed them "highly speculative and uncertain scenarios for what might happen as a result of increased demand for corn grain."

Following their release, the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council, National Corn Growers Association, Renewable Fuels Association and American Coalition for Ethanol—supported by the expertise of Dale and Wang—kicked into high gear individual efforts to expose the nature of the conclusions and the motives of the researchers authoring the studies.

Not long after this flurry of "facts" came the food-versus-fuel assault on ethanol, and the corn and ethanol industries again went to work gathering factual information from resources such as Texas A&M University, Iowa State University, the American Farm Bureau, the USDA and others to present the true causes of rising food prices based on the research of experts in domestic and global food production.

Through the years, other ethanol detractors have distorted the facts to call into question everything from the use of water for corn and ethanol production to alleged detrimental environmental impacts of row-crop production, fertilizer and chemical use, and a myriad of other issues.

It's ironic that some of these studies are funded by ethanol detractors who remain committed to the status quo. Dominant forces within the energy industry are reluctant to relinquish any part of this market. A lack of public disclosure on some of the funding of this research is not in the consumer's best interest.

While the collective result of these industry organizations' individual efforts were successful at providing an objective counterbalance in defense against detractors' negative "facts," there is power in numbers. Therefore, it's exciting to announce that organizations and researchers within the ethanol industry are banding together and moving to an offensive strategy that is both proactive and collective.

It's of utmost importance that industry members collectively encourage and invest in basic coordinated energy research in order for America to achieve energy independence. New, highly efficient and sustainable technologies for biofuels production must be the result. In addition, research to evaluate the economic, environmental and social impact of these new technologies by credible experts must be conducted and promoted as the new technologies are developed and introduced.

EPIC, the NCGA, the National 25x'25 Alliance and Dale, among others, are banding together to adopt just such an "offensive" approach to help maintain a long and secure future for the biofuels industry.

A first step, spearheaded by industry leaders joining with coalitions representing the leading public and private research institutions, and industry and academic organizations, was calling on policymakers to fully commit to the vital role of basic research in solving America's energy crisis.

As a result, these industry stakeholders will be able to launch new and proactive communication efforts presenting consistent and coordinated messages based on sound scientific facts that present the industry in a responsible, sustainable and positive light.

Stay tuned. We'll keep you updated on the efforts and how you can join them on a local basis.

Toni Nuernberg is the executive director of the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council. Reach her at tnuernberg@epicinfo.org or (402) 932-0567.

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