Re: Synthetic fuel/oil feedstock

[Chuck Hill <hilltech@netins.net>]

    As an Iowa farmer who produces lots of corn, I can't be still while someone says that the use of corn as a feedstock for synthetics is a bad idea.  We can produce all
the corn the market wants to buy.  There has never-never ever- been a shortage of corn in this country for all the purposes to which it is put.  Yes, we have to fight the
weeds and the bugs, but this is better than fighting a war in the middle east to keep the price of oil down for the whole world.  By the way, through advances in
biotechnology, the use of insecticides is decreasing, and the trend of fertilizer usage, particularly nitrogen, is also down about 20% from only 10 years ago.

    Corn supplies this year are increased sufficiently to depress prices from over $4.00 per bushel two years ago, to less than $2.00 per bushel.  My gross income follows
this trend--what fun!!  We won't even talk about net income.

    Now for some Audi content.  I use gasohol,  a 10% ethanol from corn + 90% gasoline, blend in all my Audi cars, an 83 4000 coupe, an 85 5000 Turbo, and an 87 5000
wagon.  The extra 2-3 points in octane rating, and the continous cleaning effect of the ethanol helps keep them running just great.  There have been no problems from
using this fuel in the last 10 years with my vehicles.  Ethanol in the gas won't kill you like some additives-lead, or MTBE.

    Another area of interest is soybean oil based lubricants.  These are environmentally friendly, and sourced domestically, not imported.  They are not as cheap as
petroleum products, but then again, what does it cost us to police the world to keep down the price of oil.  We are beginning to use soy based hydraulic oil, and 20%
blends of soy oil and diesel for improved performance and less pollution.

    Here again, we can produce all the market needs, and in fact are looking for new applications for our soybean products .

    The problem farmers have is overproduction of their crops, leading to low low prices.  The public has a lot to gain from the use of these, but business is business,
and the oil companies certainly don't want to give up market share, just so we can live in a cleaner, and healthier world.

    Don't hesitate to use "synthetic" fuel & lubricants for fear of harming the environment.

Chuck Hill  Audi fan & farmer