By David Fleischaker, Terry Peach, Miles Tolbert
Guest columnists
As printed in The Muskogee Phoenix, October 9, 2007.

There is lively debate growing in Oklahoma, especially among farmers and ranchers. The national race to develop a biofuel to power our cars and trucks has created a new market for corn. Already there are 129 refineries built across the country converting corn into ethanol. Another 76 biorefineries are under construction.

Our country will soon have viable alternatives to replace 10 percent of the gasoline we burn every year, much of it made from oil imported from countries hostile to the United States.

Corn farmers have benefited from the new market and the higher prices their crop is fetching at market.

However, this is not all good news for every farmer and rancher in Oklahoma.

The higher prices of corn are disadvantageous to some farmers and ranchers. Ranchers are feeling the effects of rising prices in the cost of corn feed for their cattle, and there is great uncertainty about future prices. If corn prices continue to rise, the public will feel the effects in the prices of beef, dairy products and other staples.

Oklahoma is poised to benefit from the current situation by using crops such as milo that are not grown for food.

Even more promising are Oklahoma's native prairie grasses that can be converted to ethanol. For instance, switchgrass, a perennial prairie grass, has high sugar content and per acre, can produce more ethanol than corn. In fact, researchers at the Noble Foundation are developing a variety that can be harvested multiple times in a single growing season. Additionally, our perennial grasses require little water, fertilizer or other resources and can grow on marginal lands unsuitable for grazing or traditional crops, so the cost to grow and harvest them is quite feasible.

One of the best advantages is that prairie grasses don't compete as a food source like corn. Finally, using perennial prairie grasses like switchgrass to produce fuel contributes far less CO2 to the atmosphere. CO2 is the gas that is the principle cause of climate change.

Oklahoma needs the continued support of its farmers and ranchers and its researchers and developers to reach our potential. We need to continue to attract refineries that will convert one of our strongest natural assets, agriculture, into products that will help fuel our future. We have the opportunity to become a leader in biofuels in a way that benefits the economy of all parts of Oklahoma.

Please continue the discussion with us at GROW: the Oklahoma Biofuels Conference in Oklahoma City October 16-17. Click Here for more information.

This article appeared in The Muskogee Phoenix, www.muskogeephoenix.com, October 9, 2007.