More than 40% of U.S. corn is now consumed in the production of ethanol. With
the United States by far the world’s largest producer and exporter, this represents an
estimated 15% of global corn production. The growth in U.S. ethanol production has
been dramatic and quite recent, stimulated by high oil prices, government subsidies and
tariff protection, and a mandate for increasing biofuel use that has nearly 10% of U.S.
gasoline sales accounted for by ethanol