That's only part of it. Diesel has gotten real expensive so that makes producing and transporting any grain more expensive. And I'm sure that rising metal costs hasn't made farm machinery any cheaper. Let me tell you, farming isn't cheap. I doubt that the production of ethanol has raised prices nearly as much as the other factors I listed.

I always thought the switchgrass idea might not be too bad. The only thing I wonder about is since it has to be transported in hay bales(at least that's how I assume they want to do it) I'm curious if it would be as cost effective. That's the one nice thing about corn is that you can utilize your shipment system a little better. But, if they got that worked out, I think it would work great. Especially if you can create cellulosic ethanol out of common weeds that end up taking over fields. I mean we had an alfalfa filed that we planted go bad and the weeds just took over and the drought didn't even slow them down. I mean if they could make that work, you'd never have to plant anything. Just use the good ground for food crops and the badground for ethanol production.