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A derecho, otherwise known as a widespread, long-lived, straight-line wind storm, is expected to traverse parts of the Midwest Wednesday night and early Thursday, according to The Weather Channel. Derechos can cause hurricane-force winds, tornadoes, torrential rains, and flash floods. This one could wreak havoc in the areas shaded in purple below. What’s important to note is that this derecho is sweeping across the corn belt. A Moderate risk for severe weather remains forecast for much of the state of Wisconsin. Damaging winds (some 75+ mph) are the primary threat this afternoon and evening. Very large hail and a few...

Economists are warning that the current drought in the Corn Belt is going to result in higher food prices... But there is one thing the president can do to alleviate the effects of the drought: suspend the nation's ill-conceived ethanol program. That program now burns up 40% of the U.S. corn crop...

There have been three major ethanol producers that have declared bankruptcy in the past 6 months (VeraSun, Panda Energy and White Energy) as well as several smaller ones. The problem is the high cost of manufacture, especially high corn prices.... The pressure is on Congress to force distributors to blend to 15% to solve the problem government caused in the first place. Lost in all of this, is it would void the warranties of millions of cars in the US. But the problem is far worse for the marine industry. Even 10% ethanol is causing severe problems to fuel systems....

A Canadian company has developed a new, more efficient process to make the alternative fuel ethanol from farm waste. With today's high oil prices, experts hope the new technology could reduce demand on fossil fuels and increase energy security. "In the past, ethanol fuel use has been limited, because the cost of production was too high," said Jim Easterly, a Washington, D.C.-based bioenergy consultant. "Ethanol produced from corn kernels and wheat grain has historically been more expensive than gasoline produced from oil." Producing corn-based ethanol, for example, uses energy from oil and electricity for everything from growing the corn to...