The following sources were used in a research paper to make a connection between
government farming subsidies and the production of ethanol. These sources go into detail
displaying how funds are misappropriated and being used to produce a biofuel that has
scientifically been found to be harmful to the environment. Also, several sources speak about
how prices across the board from meat farmers to grocery shoppers are affected. The government
is subsidizing massive amounts of corn, sourcing it to the production of ethanol which scientists
have found to be a non-viable resource.
Acosta, Nelia, B. Jacobsen, R. Malek, and D. Norton. "A New Corn Disease Caused by
Longidorus Breviannulatus in the Midwest ." New Diseases and Epidemics. 64.12
(1980): 1111-1113. Web. 22 Mar. 2014.
The third source speaks to the diseases that have developed from the mass production of
corn. These diseases are actually ruining corn crops across the Midwest and affecting farmers
harvest in the amount off corn they can yield. The disease is the cause of a combination between
the soil erosion and strain of corn being used and the push to over produce. The mass production
of corn has been shown to have harmful effects on the environment.
Aggarwal, Anju, Adam Drewnowski, and Pablo Monsivais. "Following Federal Guidelines To
Increase Nutrient Consumption May Lead To Higher Food Cost For Consumers." Health
Affairs. 30.8 (2011): 1471-1477. Web. 9 Mar. 2014.
A second source reveals how the federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans are being
neglected. These standards that are put to place are not being upheld, while food costs seem to
increase. Foods produced are waterlogged with fats and calories, pushing the obesity numbers
even further into the red. Studies have found that to improve the diets of a normal household will
require healthier choices, which means more money being spent. All in all it will have to start
with the government forcing farmers to adhere to strict nutritional guidelines and in turn a better
product can be produced.
Asner, Gregory, Carol Barford, Gordon Bonan, Stephen Carpenter, Stuart Chapin, Michael Coe,
GretchEn Daily, Ruth DeFries, et al. "Global Consequences of Land Use." American
Association for the Advancement of Science. 309.570 (2005): 1-6. Web. 26 Jan. 2014.
My third source reveals the, “Consequences to land use,” describing in great detail how
farming over production is harming the environment. If you haven’t noticed the increase in
temperature or ice caps melting take a second look. These harmful farming tactics that are being
used is causing a massive increase in CO2. This is harming the atmosphere, which is causing
temperatures to rise. Also, the article shows the over-use of pesticides and the direct effect they
are having on the environment. Overall the world is in trouble if we cannot find a way to
decrease the side effects produced from farming over-production.
Barling, David, and Tim Lang. "food security and food sustainability: reformulating the debate
."Geographical Journal. 178.4 (2012): 313-326. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.
The second source talks about increased commodity production and undernourished
people in the world. With government subsidies paying farmers for this so-called increased
commodity production, “Over-production” has still not answered the question why there is an
increase of malnourished people. This article speaks on the food security policies to determine
what can be done about this problem in the world and how over-production can possibly be used
to help.
Cassman, Kenneth, Pamela Matson, Rosamond Naylor, Stephen Polasky, and David Tilman.
"Agricultural sustainability and intensive production practices ."Nature Publishing Group. 418.
(2002): 671- 677. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.
The first source reviewed speaks about the agricultural aspects of sustainability and
rigorous over production practices. With over-production at an all-time high, it is quickly
impacting the environment being used. These impacts are producing soil depletion, which is
causing the farmed land to be un-useable for years to come. The use or fertilizers and pesticides
mixed with over farmed land is creating a land almost equivalent to that of the aftermath of an
atomic bomb. Food cannot grow and animals are unable to habitate in their native environments.
“Crop Politics: Government subsidies promote corn over common sense.” Chicago
Tribune [Chicago] 5 Oct 2013, 1.12. Print.
This source speaks about how the government is giving farmers subsidies to produce
corn, which is being turned into ethanol. The Chicago Tribune goes into detail speaking about
how the effects corn ethanol production is having on the grocery prices and even meat farmers.
Also, another effect is the cause of bacterial diseases have developed due to the over production
of corn crops. The push for production of corn ethanol is taking a big chunk of product from
American consumers, impacting the nation up and down the food chain, from meat farmers to
household consumers.
DeHaven, Tad, and Chris Edwards. "Farm Subsidies at Record Levels As Congress Considers
New Farm Bill." CATO Institute. 70. (2001): 1-11. Web. 2 Mar. 2014.
My second source speaks about the farming subsidies paid by the government to the
farmers, in order for them to overproduce crops. The researchers speak in great detail about the
history of the farming bill and how it has affected the farming agricultural world. There is a
direct connection shown through charts, speaking about the direct government payments to
farmers from 1990-2001, breaking down the dispersal of funds into two areas, subsidized and
unsubsidized. The unsubsidized area includes cattle, hogs, poultry, fruits, and vegetables, which
are 64% of the value of U.S. farm production. The subsidized portion refers to wheat, corn, rice,
cotton, and soybeans, which is 36% of the value of U.S. farming production. Those items are
shown together both with financial figures answering the question, “Where does the money go?”
Fraley, John, and Bradley Shepard. "Life History, Ecology and Population Status of Migratory
Bull Trout (Salvelinus Confluentus) in the Flat Head Lake and River System,
Montana." Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. 63.4 (1989): 133-141. Web.
23 Feb. 2014.
This journal article explores the effects that human integration and the
environment have on the life of a bull trout. The article goes into detail about how humans have
moved into the bull trout’s environment effecting both breeding and migration patterns. One
scenario described how a road had been built and how it was causing draining effects that were
damaging to the bull trout migration. Another situation noted increased sediments in the water
and the change in a river’s flow pattern. It is important to remember the effects one animal can
have on the environment and by affecting it; it can have damaging consequences for decades to
come.
Gottlieb, Michelle, Joanne Perron, Lucia Sayre, Patrice Sutton, David Wallinga, and Tracey
Woodruff. "Reproductive Health And The Industrialized Food System: A Point Of
Intervention For Health Policy."Health Affairs. 30.5 (2011): 888-897. Web. 9 Mar. 2014.
This article is about farm foods that are produced through over farming and the
nutritional impact it is having on the final products being sold at stores. Recent studies show that
over the years more and more crops are being pumped with chemicals. These fertilizers and
hormones are creating more food but with less nutritional value. Also, this increase in nonnutritional food is having an impact in the health community. People that eat these products are
potentially damaging their bodies, but society seems to turn a blind eye to the facts and
propagates these foods through the marketing directed towards families.
Kummu, K., H. De Moel, S. Siebert, O. Varis, and P.J. Ward. "Lost food, wasted resources:
Global food supply chain losses and their impacts on fresh water, cropland, and fertilizer
use." Science of the Total Environment. 438. (2012): 477-489. Print.
This Article talks about food waste and depleted resources around the world and how the
world’s use of natural resources is affecting countries and having drastic climatic effects in their
regions. They study the “FSC” or better known as the food supply chain, delves into the areas of
harvest, post-harvest, processing, distribution, and consumption. The article notes specific areas
where food is actually lost and the impacts of the resources being used. A method of calculation
is used to determine the amounts food supply, fresh water, cropland, and fertilizer losses.
Overall, this article speaks on the topic of food and resource losses and the impacts they have.
Lincicome, Scott. "Fed, Farm and Trade Policies Inflating Our Grocery Bills." Investor's
Business Daily (Online). (2013): 1-4. Web. 9 Mar. 2014.
The third article speaks to federal farm and trade policies. Here financial facts come to
light entailing the use of government subsidies. Also, the article describes how these policies are
causing an increase in our grocery bills, which are impacting both commercial consumers and
families abroad. Farmers are a main point in this article speaking to the facts of how taxes are
high on farmland especially land is irrigated; taxes are 16% higher, which causes this domino
effect all the way to the consumers.
Munro, A. "Salmon Farming." 10. (1990): 151-161. Web. 2 Mar. 2014
My third source speaks to the nature of salmon farming, which describes both the
increased production of salmon and the possibility of side effects. The life of a salmon is really
brought to light, discussing in intimate detail how they are stored, maintained and the uses that
come from salmon breeding. Also, consequences are discussed from the over breeding and
production of salmon. Although, there are many great things that come from salmon, over
production should not be one of them.
Saltone, Tina, Richard Sexton , and Steven Sexton. "Market Power in the Corn Sector: How
Does It Affect the Impacts of the Ethanol Subsidy?." Journal of Agricultural and
Resource Economics. 33.2. (2008): 169-194. Web. 20 Mar. 2014.
My second source goes into the effects that ethanol production is having on consumer
markets. Ethanol production has created a type of “Monopoly” when it comes to how corn is
currently being used. The source notes about how the production of ethanol, how it actually costs
more to make than the energy it creates. Also, researchers have found ethanol to be more harmful
to the environment than the gas, gasoline engines burn. The way ethanol burns creates more
pollutants which are harmful to the environment. The majority focus here is on the “Monopoly”
that has been created from farming subsidies and production of ethanol.