Overview
Rising fossil fuel prices and policy changes, including
the passage of the Energy Independence and Security Act
(EISA) of 2007, have created an environment where research
development and investment in renewable energy sources
have gained new momentum. Among renewable energy sources,
bioenergy derived from plant materials has been one of
the most rapidly growing sectors. Although most bioenergy
production currently comes from agricultural crops such
as grains, oilseeds, and sugar, research is increasingly
focused on cellulosic sources of biomass such as wood
and perennial grasses, use of which would expand the range
of potential feedstocks. In the United States at this
time, ethanol (produced mainly from corn) is the largest
source of bioenergy used as a fuel additive or substitute
for petroleum fuel, while biodiesel (made from vegetable
oils and fats) provides a smaller share of bioenergy.
Biofuels currently account for roughly 5 percent of overall
transportation fuel use in the United States, and the
use of biofuels is scheduled to reach 36 billion gallons
by 2022 under the EISA Renewable Fuels Standard. The rapid
increase in grain-based ethanol production and the potential
use of cellulosic materials as an ethanol feedstock affects
agricultural markets, local communities, consumer prices,
and environmental quality. ERS information products include
current estimates and projections of commodity supply,
demand, and retail food prices. Further information and
analyses describe conditions of the U.S. agricultural
system, land use, rural communities, and the environment,
and the impacts that bioenergy development may have on
these areas.
Features
Transition to a Bioeconomy: Environmental and Rural Development Impacts. Sponsored by USDA and the Farm Foundation, this workshop in St. Louis, Missouri, October 15-16, 2008, will explore topics such as biofuels and carbon emissions, land use impacts, water quality and quantity issues, and jobs and the bioeconomy.
2008 Farm Bill Side-By-Side
(August 2008). A title-by-title summary of key provisions
of the 2008 Act in a side-by-side comparison with previous
legislation. The side-by-side includes links to related
ERS publications and to analyses of previous farm acts.
New features include a user's guide, an A-Z list of major
provisions, and a search function.
Recommended Readings
Global Agricultural
Supply and Demand: Factors Contributing to the Recent
Increase in Food Commodity Prices (July 2008). This
report explores the many factors that have contributed
to the runup in food commodity prices over the last 2
years.
Corn
Prices Near Record High, But What About Food Costs?
(February 2008). This Amber Waves article traces
the effect of higher corn prices on U.S. retail food prices
by analyzing data on price trends from 1987-2007 and the
price responsiveness of corn-dependent food to cost changes.
The results indicate ethanol's impact on retail food prices
depends on how long the increased demand for corn raises
farm corn prices and the extent to which higher corn prices
are passed through to retail.
Ethanol
Expansion in the United States: How Will the Agricultural
Sector Adjust? (May 2007). Corn is currently the primary
feedstock for ethanol in the United States. Market impacts
of the expansion in ethanol production extend well beyond
the corn sector to supply and demand for other crops,
such as soybeans and cotton, as well as to U.S. livestock
industries. As a consequence of these commodity market
impacts, farm income, government payments, and food prices
also change. See narrated
slideshow for an overview; see related Amber Waves
feature U.S.
Ethanol Expansion Driving Changes Throughout the Agricultural
Sector (September 2007).
See all recommended readings...
Recommended Data Products
Feed Grains Database.
Monthly and quarterly data on corn used for ethanol are
available via custom queries. Feed
yearbook tables have data on imports/exports of ethyl
alcohol and imports/exports of brewers' and distillers'
dregs and wastes (the trade categories for ethanol and
distillers' dried grains from ethanol plants). Additional
country data and earlier data than contained in the yearbook
tables can be obtained using custom queries.
Ethanol
Co-Products Used For Livestock Feed. A survey by USDA's
National Agricultural Statistics Service of beef, dairy,
and hog producers in 12 Midwestern States to determine
current usage of distillers grains, essential feed characteristics,
and concerns keeping producers from using distillers grains.
Commodity Costs and
Returns. Annual farm cost and return estimates for
corn, other major field crops, and livestock commodities
are available in Excel spreadsheets. These estimates
track the relative costs and returns for corn, crops competing
with corn for land, and livestock commodities that use
corn as a major feed source. The spreadsheets show
U.S. average costs and returns and those in major production
regions for each commodity.
Food
Price Outlook. Monthly and annual estimates of the
future direction of changes in the Consumer Price Index
(CPI) for all food, food at home, and food away from home
are available in Excel spreadsheets. ERS analyzes the
impact of conomic factors on changes in the CPI and uses
forecasting methods to project the range of possible changes
in retail food prices due to changing commodity costs.
Glossary
Bioenergy-related terms and definitions...
Recent Research Developments
ERS Bioenergy Information
and Research and ERS
Bioenergy Research Plans. These materials provide
an overview of current and planned ERS activities related
to U.S. and international bioenergy production. Key indicators
will be monitored and indepth research conducted on the
impacts of bioenergy developments on agricultural systems,
rural communities, food prices, and the environment.
International
Conference on Sorghum for Biofuel. This conference
on August 19-22, 2008, in Houston, Texas, provided a forum
on the scientific status and needs for sorghum as a bioenergy
feedstock. The workshop assembled international experts
from government, academia, the agricultural community,
and the renewable fuels industry in sorghum research and
development to discuss to discuss key scientific advances
for economically viable and environmentally sustainable
production and utilization of sorghum as a bioenergy crop.
Integration
of Agricultural and Energy Systems. Sponsored by USDA
and Farm Foundation, this workshop on February 12-13,
2008, explored farming systems, markets for energy crops
and co-products, and the impacts of the bioeconomy on
animal agriculture, energy efficiency, and the role of
biotechnology.
Global
Biofuel Developments: Modeling the Effects on Agriculture.
Sponsored by ERS and the Farm Foundation, this workshop
on February 27-28, 2007, featured presentations on the
multiple effects of biofuel policies on agricultural production
and trade. Academics, private industry, and ERS staff
presented and discussed various methods of analyzing and
modeling the effects of biofuel policies in the United
States, Brazil, the European Union, and various Asian
countries, as well as the effects of such policies on
developing countries.
Related Briefing Rooms
Agricultural Baseline Projections
Corn
Farm and Commodity Policy
Farm Income and
Costs
Food CPI,
Prices, and Expenditures
Global Climate Change
Land Use, Value, and Management
Rural Development
Strategies
Soybeans and Oil
Crops
Related Links
USDA
Renewable Energy—News and information about
USDA's renewable energy activities.
USDA Office
of Energy Policy and New Uses—USDA office responsible
for developing and coordinating Departmental energy policy,
programs, and strategies.
Department of Energy,
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy—Office
responsible for renewable energy research and technology
development.
See all related links...
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