While domestic fuels have the possibility to stem our dependence on foreign oil, most would agree that it would not be possible to completely supply our need for fuel. Based on our current consumption of oil, more than 90% of the arable land in the US would be required to produce enough ethanol. A large part of the corn and soybeans needed for fuel is being grown in the Midwest.
The effects of climate change bear bad news for farmers in this region. NBC News reported recently that new calculations indicate a shift in the jet stream. The result could mean less perciptitation and an expansion of deserts in areas where they currently exist. People in Oklahoma and Texas are accutely aware of this development following the wildfires earlier this year, and any farmer in the Midwest can probably attest to the lack of rain so far this season. If predictions regarding climate change hold true, it could make it even more difficult to grow our way out of our dependence on oil. However, the competition between using foodstock for fuel and supplying the nation with nutrition could benefit famers able to produce in the new climate.
