Today in Biofuels Opinion: “There are 21 farm states, and that’s 42 senators…They’re going to have ethanol.”

T Boone Pickens, reporting a conversation in 1996 with Bob Dole: “He said, “Ethanol is, you say it’s a bad fuel.” I said, “Come on Bob, you spend more money making it than importing it.” And he said, “Let me explain something to you about politics: There are 21 farm states, and that’s 42 senators. Don’t go any further.” I’m getting the picture. I said, “They want ethanol.” He said, “They’re going to have ethanol.” And so he said, “Don’t waste any more of our time or your time telling us it’s a bad idea, because they’re going to do it.”

Bob Dineen, Renewable Fuel Association: “Farmers get only 20 cents of every dollar spent in the supermarket. They are not profiting from today’s high commodity prices. Indeed, because their energy costs are going up, it is costing them far more to produce.”

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