Indiana's Plan to Expand Biofuels and Double Pork Production

The Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) is currently in the middle of a stragetic plan. By the year 2025 Indiana would like to dramatically increase its biofuel production, as well as double pork production in the state. These are big, but possible, goals for the future. Or are they?

The topic of expanding Indiana's biofuels to make it one of the leaders, in the United States, and doubling pork production seems to be sending some ripples through the agricultural industry. The conflict, it's simple, biofuels consume mainly grains such as corn and soybeans, and so does swine.

So how is it possible to greatly expand both of these areas, with our limited resources and capabilities, when they both require such large amounts of grain?

The answer is complicated and requres the reading of a 28 page analyzation about this very topic. The ISDA had Informa Economics, Inc. make an economic analysis about expanding ethanol and pork production in the state of Indiana, while factoring our limited land and labor, and any other limiting constraints, to see how feasible this goal is.

The summary is simple, they believe that it can be done. Yes there will be an increase in the consumption of corn, and no we can't expand our acreage, but we are able to increase yeilds in other areas. The analysis points to technological advances that will impact yields and allow us to follow through with this plan.

Purdue University resently held a debate for students in the Collge of Agriculture to participate in, and the topic was bioenery expansion. During the debate one team was given the positive side about expansion and the other team was given the opposition. Both teams did a great job of finding soild evidence to make their points from, which made for a very good debate. One position that the opposition kept stating was that we cannot greatly expand in bioenergy because we simply do not have the land to increase corn production. The positive side had the stand that the document had, we do not have to increase our acreage of corn to increase production, technology will do that.

It is a hard fought battle for the ISDA because ligitimatly both sides can be taken. What we must keep in mind is the welfare of the state, and how it will affect our lives. I think the ISDA has that in their prespective and that the expansion of biofuels and doubling of pork production will bring more to the state than we realize.