LETTER: Sweet sorghum could be the answer to ethanol needs

With fuel so high priced, we hear a lot about new sources of ``energy``.  The sun, the wind, more ethanol, and, yes, drill now for more oil.  Solar, the wind and more crops to convert into ethanol are ok but we cannot grow enough corn to produce alcohol to meet even half of our needs, and we cannot put solar and wind power in our gas tanks.

I grew up in SW Missouri at a time that milk was one of the main sources of income for the farmers there.  Corn ensilage was an important source of feed for those cows producing milk.  During the dry 30s, it was very difficult to grow  corn.  Many farmers switched to sweet sorghum for ensilage and hay. It produced considerable more tonnage than corn with less water.

With all the talk about renewable fuel and seeking crops other than corn for ethanol-- switch grass being one--I have never heard sweet sorghum mentioned.  It will out-produce switch grass by a big margin.

 

Walter Bumgarner

Arcadia