Benefits will only continue to grow

A piece appeared in the USA Today entitled, "Midwest farms reap benefits of ethanol boom"
on October 2.  The article describes the ripple effect of higher corn prices, land prices, and lower property taxes that certain farming communities have experienced with the boom of ethanol plants around Iowa and the greater Midwest. 

The final paragraph of the article takes the usual parting shot at the industry:

There are some doubts that alternative fuels can end the country's dependence on foreign oil.

For years, studies showed that more energy is required to produce ethanol than is saved when it's used in gasoline. A University of Minnesota study released in July concluded that ethanol and biodiesel made from soybeans return more energy than is consumed in growing the grains and distilling them into fuel.

The citizens of U.S. understand this and accept it by now folks.  Someday, corn will not be used in any form to make Ethanol I'm guessing.  That's not the point.  The point is that we've crossed the threshold of "Home Grown Energy Independence".  Now if we seize this opportunity and the U of Iowa and Iowa State do their jobs, this wonderful state will lead the transition of the Midwest from "farming and manufacturing" to "bioscience and energy production technologies".