In those last two years of my tenure at this large ag seed company, many things happened.  One event that stood out was that the entire company was purchased by a huge multi-national chemical concern.  A quick look at the parent company’s portfolio of businesses and locations made you think that the world was more dependent on what happened in a particular company than on what happened in any particular country.  The question presented itself to me at that time:  Is there such a thing as corporate sovereignty?

With that question, several others also arose.  Two specific questions that stuck in my mind at the time: “Is there such a thing as corporate food domination?” and “How much involvement in the food distribution system by a single company is healthy?”.  My employer at the time provided roughly half of the corn seed sold in America.  A large percentage of this corn was basically grown as the bulk feedstock for animals (beef, pork and chicken).  The animals’ ultimate fate was, of course, our dinner plate.  The nutrient density of the corn, and thus, of the meat, was “programmed” genetically by this old stalwart seed company.  That in itself was acceptable – the history of the organization was shining, with a long list of good and benevolent achievements.  As time wore on and the impending purchase became imminent, however, examining the situation more deeply gave the impression of a rapidly spreading three alarm fire.

The first alarm rang out when, after a brief courting period and a joint venture, the aforementioned large chemical concern purchased the seed company outright.  Is it still a benevolent business, seeking to help farmers be more productive through the broad application of the science of genetics?  Or is it now simply a platform to sell chemical crop protection products?  At the time, we all knew that we were the same company as when we started.  But who could guess what the future held?  The second alarm, at least for me, sounded when it became evident that the new owner had deep involvement in all aspects of food processing and distribution systems, from packaging and processing all the way to contaminant testing of finished foods, from production aids to the means of delivery.  They owned proprietary products in each critical phase of food production, processing and distribution – now including the raw genetic material that formed the starting material for that food.  The third, and maybe the loudest, alarm sounded after examining the other crop products that were available to this parent company.  Their own existing genetics programs and the programs obtained thru their new purchase provided avenues to control large amounts of available germplasm for wheat, rice, corn, soybean, sunflower, canola and a myriad of minor crop germplasm bases.

Vertical integration in the food industry reached a new milestone with this “merger” of a chemical giant with what had previously been the largest and perhaps the most innocuous seed company, having no previous ties to anyone except their own shareholders.  With the new ownership, what did the shareholders cede to this large chemical manufacturer?  Did they merely hand over control of an undisputed pioneer in the agricultural genetics industry?  Or was it actually a large chunk of the food supply that they served up on a platter?  Does it matter?  Will we all someday become ‘citizens’ of this new genetics giant by virtue of simply eating?

Corporate Sovereignty? is a post from: shannonehlers.com

Ever the merchants, local civic officials are now bracing for the anticipated rise in “tourism” – when I see that, I read “Gay people visiting Iowa solely for the marriage certificate”. Eyeballs in the state, yes, but tourism?  Not so much.

In case the bullhorns of the national media have drowned out the many legitimate reasons to visit the great state of Iowa, I just wanted to remind everyone that Iowa does indeed provide excellent real tourist attractions for everyone – regardless of your sexual preferences.

Here are five to get you started.  Remember, though, some of the most enjoyable experiences you’ll have in Iowa are the ones you discover yourself – so start here, but then explore on your own.  I think you’ll be back!

1.  See The Law of the Land Being Made. It seems fitting to start the list with the epicenter of the current “shockwaves”, as one radio outlet refers to the gay marriage legal acrobatics.  The Capitol Building in Des Moines is a beautiful building, built in the late 1800s in Des Moines, Iowa.  You can take a virtual tour here.  The capitol is full of architectural and historical curiosities, as well as some magnificent art commemorating various people and events in the state’s history.  One of my favorite displays growing up was a collection of figurines depicting all of the “first ladies” in Iowa (governors’ wives).  The state government of Iowa is comprised of an executive branch (Governor’s Office), a legislative branch (two chambers, the House and the Senate) and a judicial branch (culminating with the state Supreme Court).  All three branches have their offices here in the capitol.

2. Take Me Out to the Ballgame. The Iowa Cubs are the AAA farm team for the Chicago Cubs, and they play ball at Principal Park in downtown Des Moines, Iowa.  Known by the locals as the “I-Cubs”, this is one family-friendly and affordable way to spend a warm summer’s evening in Des Moines.  The ball club belongs to the Pacific Coast League and the park is one of the best places in town to see and to be seen, so check out the schedule and go to a game.

3.  “A Place For All Seasons, But Most Fun in the Summertime.” The Iowa Great Lakes are located in the northwestern corner of the state, near the Minnesota and South Dakota state lines.  West Lake Okoboji, East Lake Okoboji, and Spirit Lake make up the principal lakes of the Iowa Great Lakes and the surrounding area in Dickinson County.  The region is a favorite vacation and resort spot for both locals and people from around the country.  With numerous fine dining opportunities, fishing and recreational boating, camping, and dozens of opportunities for kids, Okoboji and the Iowa Great Lakes will become a favorite spot for you, calling you back year after year.  A usual stop for me is the Maritime Museum.  Their web site is still under construction, but they are in the resort town of Arnold’s Park.  And while you’re in Arnold’s Park, don’t neglect the obvious (visit the beach, hit the dining spots, enjoy some “night life”, etc.).

4. “Recently Recognized by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.” Not everyone can say that about their neighborhood, but we rock in Iowa.  Nowhere more so than at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, in northern Iowa.  Of course, the momentous airplane crash of fifty years ago – “The Day the Music died” – is what many will remember about Clear Lake, Iowa, and the Surf Ballroom.  And the Surf remembers, too, but the venue has also moved forward – playing host to musical acts from around the country and from around the world.  From ballrooom dancing and Big Band music, to swing, to jazz, to country, today’s Surf Ballroom serves up something for all musical tastes.  The upcoming Leisure Suit Party is sure to become a regional favorite.  Be sure to make room in your schedule for a stop at this Iowa landmark!

5. “Four Times the City, Four Times the Fun!” This was heard uttered by a musician in the band “Semisonic”, performing at a rock and roll show I attended in the “quad-Cities”, the name given to the metro area made up of Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa, and Rock Island and Moline in Illinois.  More evidence that Iowa rocks: the “Quads”, as the region is locally known, are home to lots of great music, and a great place to learn more is the River Music Experience.  Davenport is a stop on “Iowa’s River Road”, an effort to celebrate the cities of the Mississippi River.  Stop and stay a while – lots of great surprises await you around each corner.

Well, there you have it – five great Iowa destinations for tourists of every stripe – not just rainbow striped (*rimshot*).   Don’t feel like you need to bring your unicorn – just come on out (*buhdum BUM*).  Sorry – poor attempts at cheap humor .

Anyway, I could easily expand this to twenty-five or thirty attractions you don’t want to miss, but I won’t.  Because you will disover them for yourself once you arrive.  All are affordable and accessible, and you’ll find that the people here are super accommodating when you need something.

Here’s a favor I’m going to ask of you: respond in the comments with your own list of great things to see and do in Iowa!  Doesn’t matter if you’re a visitor or a native, just tell us!

5 Reasons to Visit Iowa – Even If You’re Not Gay is a post from: shannonehlers.com

I’ve been thinking in the last few weeks about what it really means to be an American. I guess this must have started when the presidential race kicked off in earnest, but it has come up in several conversations and several contexts since that.

Tonight I’m watching one of my favorite television personalities, Craig Ferguson, as he performs his nightly comedic monologue. The theme tonight revolves around the fact that on Friday, he became an American citizen. Citizenship is something that Ferguson has alluded to numerous times before, light-heartedly feigning a longing. In reality, though, he was longing. And now, he is very proud – you can see it in his eyes and hear it in the way he talks. I forget sometimes that my natural born status is something other people, even famous people, will stand in line to obtain. It appears that a sense of belonging was a large part of the motivation for Craig Ferguson.

Over two hundred years ago people stood in line to fight for the chance to start this whole experiment. Knowing that the fight could end their lives, and knowing that defeat would mean the end of their dream of self-rule, they stepped up, willing to risk their lives simply to have the chance to live in a sovereign nation. For them, self-rule was the motivation.

Even the simple physical reality of being here, in America, is such a dear prize that people will break the law and come here illegally, risking being caught, risking their safety and often risking even their lives to do so. Is it all about simple economics and the chance to make more money than back at home? Some would have us believe that it is, but I think for these people who risk so much to just be here, in our presence, something more motivates them.

Around a century and a half ago, some of my ancestors left on a trip to a much younger America. For them it was a destination half a world away, of which they knew very little. They came here to start a life, not knowing how it would work out. To them being an American represented “the main chance” at a better way of life. While there certainly were financial considerations, one of my forebears supposedly left Ireland in the early 1800′s in order to avoid entering the clergy, which apparently was a foregone conclusion for him. Although he did choose a different path in life, there’s little, before or since, to suggest monetary motives. I think that the chance of self determination was the motive in his case.

Other examples are nearly limitless.

Painters and poets come to America, skateboarders and sculptors choose to make this their home. For them, self expression is the motivator.

Dutch Reformed, German Jews, Russian Orthodox, Irish Catholics, Norwegian Lutherans, all come here to create a home, raise their children and worship as they see fit. Religious freedom calls them to America.

Speaking of different religions and nationalities, back to Craig Ferguson. He ended his program tonight by taking the musical stage with a group called the Wicked Tinkers, a Scottish pipe and drum outfit. Craig beat a drum in true Scottish form, proclaiming that he was doing this to assure his Scottish brethren that he wouldn’t stop being Scottish now that he was American.

Although that is technically incorrect, it is a very natural statement for a person to make. We are indeed a melting pot, but often we each try to keep our little part of the melt at least somewhat intact. This is evidenced in the number of various clubs and groups based on ancestral nationality and heritage (Italian clubs, Irish clubs, German clubs, etc.), fraternal groups (Eagles, Oddfellows, Elks Lodge, Moose Lodge, etc).

For me, to be an American means that you are fortunate to be blessed with opportunities that no other place on Earth can match, but you are also the bearer of heavy responsibility to make something useful of those opportunities. What do you think?

To Be An American is a post from: shannonehlers.com

I worked for a while in the research center of a large agricultural genetics company where we used to estimate that 80% of corn seed is grown for inclusion into livestock rations. Considering this, can we assume that the price increase in the broad category of food is completely due to increases in just this one input, largely used for meat production? I don’t think so. I think a main contributing factor is the cost of fuel, both as a cost of transport and as other additional costs in food production and delivery.

Enter the renewable fuels industry, tasked with creating an American-style innovative revolution both here and around the world in how we turn raw materials into usable energy. Think about this and what that statement really means: we want to totally change the model for energy production. Why?

Currently our energy production is almost wholly unsustainable. We import a finite natural resource, crude oil from a politically unstable part of the world at a fairly high transportation cost and a potentially catastrophic political cost. Crude oil usually requires much processing in large refineries located mainly around the gulf of Mexico. This creates byproducts that are useful, as well as several byproducts which are poisonous, and of course the main product which then must be transported via pipeline, rail car, and truck to various points throughout the country. We extract coal from deposits deep within the earth leaving unsightly and poisonous landscapes in our wake. Coal is similarly destructive in its production and use.

We are moving towards using a diverse set of renewable resources, some based on biological inputs, some based on geophysical inputs. Frequently these can be turned into fuel more efficiently with much less processing, can be produced locally with much less pollution than oil import/refining, frequently producing companion industries based on other useful co-products, and can be made again and again while leaving the sources intact.

So what’s the catch? In the case of corn, critics point out that it is an inefficient substrate for alcohol production. Depending on whose scientist you talk to, you can find people who say that you only get 1.1x efficiency (it takes 1 unit to produce 1.1 units) up to 1.3x efficiency. When we think about building plants to make fuel at a 10% to 30% advantage, it almost seems pointless doesn’t it?

The typical ethanol plant currently consists of three main parts: a milling operation to separate the starchy part of the corn kernel from the germ, a mashing and fermentation operation to convert the starch first to sugars then turn this into an alcohol / water mixture known as “liquor”, and a distillation and purification operation to separate the bulk alcohol from the liquor, with purification to remove the last bit of water from the alcohol.

As Jeff Bruck, an associate in the ethanol industry, points out in his comment on Part 1 of 2: Squanto Would Be Proud (LINK),
“Biofuels use corn and other grains which right now are logistically and economically the best source. This won’t always be true. Cellulostic technology is improving every day and will someday be the standard.” Bruck also made good points about the need for greater support of flex fuel technology (both cars and distribution points).

The good news is that there is a much larger advantage in cellulosic ethanol production (utilizing fibrous plant biomass as a carbohydrate source). However, this leads to another criticism (LINK) of biofuels, which is that we are essentially mining the nutrients out of our land by growing intensive monoculture to support an almost endless appetite for more corn. Although somewhat dated, Bloomberg News published a piece that examined many of these issues in more detail.

I don’t argue with the idea that we are diminishing our soil tilth, but I do think that corn for ethanol is a strictly “now” situation. Today we use corn as a feedstock because of its abundance and the easy conversion of the energy portion of the grain. We have perfected the milling and mashing process already, so this involves little to no learning curve, allowing us to instead focus our innovation on the remainder of the energy conversion and fuel delivery process.

Is this the end of the story? No, certainly not if you compare an ethanol plant to an oil refinery. Unlike oil refineries, which are concentrated around importation points (especially the Gulf Coast area), we are building these modern and technologically superior plants in this country at a rapid pace, among geographically diverse locations. This is creating a source of economic diversification for thousands of small communities. This diversification will hopefully outlast the ethanol boom. They are far too numerous and geographically separated to become easy infrastructure targets for terrorists. They can be considered a local source of energy, requiring fewer transportation miles for either the feedstocks or the finished product.

Additionally, today’s ethanol plants are potentially useful beyond just fuel production, so that when and if we find the “next big thing”and move away from ethanol, there will be entrepreneurs lined up to occupy and use these very functional facilities. Combining fermentation, distillation and purification under one roof presents numerous value added manufacturing opportunities, both within and beyond the agricultural realm. No white elephants here. Possibilities exist from food and beverage production to pharmaceutical preparative processes, low tech to high tech, these facilities will serve well and should be easily expandable to accommodate a wide variety of uses and any needed growth.

Compare these features to those of an oil refinery, often old and decrepit and rarely found far from the Gulf of Mexico, offering very little alternate use and situated in a concentrated area of production, which concentrates the ill effects.

Finally, are we demanding too much of a single source of alternative fuel? We want diverse choices for our energy, so let’s use a diverse array of fuel sources. Why try to get it all in ethanol? People want ethanol to be a green fuel, a renewable fuel, a domestic fuel, a cheap fuel, a fuel whose manufacture doesn’t affect market prices for any of the inputs, and the list of wants goes on. No energy source can do all of this, no energy source is the be-all, end-all. But we’ve treated Middle Eastern Oil as the one source for all these years, basing whole industries, even entire economies, on its use.

Creating diverse and reliable energy sources should be our priority. This is like product development on a world scale. To change our entire model of energy production, we will have to progress through several stages. On that path, we may need to accept ethanol production from corn as one stage due to the rapid availability of corn, our mastery of its production, and its status as the current “low hanging fruit”. It is almost certain, though, that development of the next stage will be quicker than the corn ethanol stage. Additionally, we need to consider corn ethanol only one part of a large set of energy production tools to free us from dependence on one or two main energy sources (currently oil and coal). We need to look to the future and say “What next?”. I’d suggest continuing with ethanol and biodiesel, and beyond that, pursuing solar energy, nuclear power, cellulose based fuels, waste derived fuels, wind generated electricity, biomass replacement for coal, and hydroelectric generation just to start.

Thanks to the many people who have patiently given me input for this post, I appreciate and respect each of you, and I owe you all a favor. It is a big topic, so there may be more…

Part 2 of 2: Squanto would be proud… is a post from: shannonehlers.com

This leads us into the topic of our post, corn for ethanol. In a politically charged year, and in a state where this subject is also politically charged, I put myself into the path of the train by saying anything at all about the subject. But I can’t resist.

I try to listen to Bob Brinker’s Moneytalk program every chance I get, and not because I need to learn market timing strategies or because I have a big old jar of money I need to invest, but because I typically find his guests informative.

Today, Bob’s main guest was John Zogby, the pollster. Before letting us hear the polling guru, though, Bob tackled this issue of corn for ethanol, making the statement that has oft been made in the news lately that the ethanol industry is responsible for dramatic increases in food costs. His proposition was that instead of using corn for ethanol we ought to be pushing for more and better nuclear power.

Bob is using a technique that frequently is used by politicians, and creating a question around an issue that is hard to challenge or disagree with. Obviously, we can understand the basic economics of using a commodity that is chiefly a livestock ration as a source of fuel alcohol. For livestock feeders, supply goes down and price goes up. Fine, no disagreement. The issue of nuclear power is a bit more touchy, but again, it is hard to argue with the idea of using a clean source of power for which the production technology has largely been mastered by U.S. and international industry.

The ideas that I can challenge, though, are the premises for the argument. Bob Brinker’s statements about ethanol and nuclear power stem from two main points. The first is the notion that we need to keep the cost of food down, at least as low as it has been and maybe lower. The second is a direct challenge to biofuel production as a viable alternative to foreign petroleum, by painting the whole industry with a single “ethanol” brush. I want to examine the food production part today, and take the energy issue into consideration in a future post.

Do you agree with the idea that our food costs are already too high? I don’t. I know that many people have much too much ‘stuff’ already, so much so that “decluttering” has become an industry unto itself. This points to the idea that our disposable income is such that more food costs can be absorbed by the average family, while perhaps displacing spending on some of this unneeded “stuff”. It is really a matter of examining what we define as “needs” and how they differ from “wants”.

If we value a high-quality, low-risk food supply, then we must be willing to pay a fair price for it. Someone has to produce that food, and to my way of thinking, we get only what we pay for. We ought to have the very best food production system in the world. Hands down, the best. And we shouldn’t sacrifice quality for price in this area.

The people who produce, prepare, and deliver food should be able to live comfortably on the income from their operations. This is equally as vital as the service a doctor provides. Additionally, growing corn is capital intensive, it requires investment in land, machinery, and seed – all before any return is realized by the farmer. It is hard work in often harsh conditions. And it is a huge risk (many things can ruin a crop, and the farmer won’t know until harvest time if he has a harvest or what his yield will be).

Food production is something we ought not try to cheapen just because some people don’t want to spend more money for the pizza or steak that they eat. It is something we certainly shouldn’t outsource to other countries. I take this position partly due to the recent history of quality control we have seen from certain foreign nations, and partly due to what I consider another real cause of food cost increases: transportation cost, especially related to the increase in fuel cost.

Despite a growing awareness that we ought to eat more local foods, both for economical and ecological reasons, we don’t actually do it: look at your potatoes, I bet that unless you live in Idaho, they aren’t very local; look at your apples, and then look toward Washington state; take a look at your oranges, and send thanks to California and Florida. I could go on, but you get the idea.
Our food production cost requires attention, and although corn is a legitimate input cost in many consumer goods, until we attempt to deal with 300% to 500% increases in basic fuel costs, it will not really matter. We still will need to process the food, to store and often refrigerate the food, and to get the food to the consumer (including the cost of trucking the food to stores and the cost of shoppers driving to the stores).

This is where we will pick up next time: fuel cost, energy, and transportation and how they all relate.

Give your thoughts, I’m anxious to hear!

Part 1 of 2: Squanto would be proud… is a post from: shannonehlers.com

I didn’t get my comments inserted when I first blogged this from Digg.  My observation was, and is, that this little universe was “created by physicists”.  Notable that it was created.

read more | digg story

‘Test tube universe’ hints at unifying theory is a post from: shannonehlers.com

Flash forward thirty-odd years and we’re in the midst of the Iowa caucus season (the “Hawkeye Caucii”) and I can tell you that now that I am grown up (this is subject to debate depending on who you ask), I have no such intention.

Although no one has asked me for two or three decades what I want to be when I grow up, I still sometimes think about the question. Over the years I’ve had several different dream jobs, but one seems to persist. I think about it on airplanes, I am reminded of it when I shave in the morning, and sometimes it occurs to me while I’m at my actual job.

So what do I want to be? Well, despite a technical education, a home in small-town middle America, and lots of agricultural experience, I hope to someday host my own late night talk show. This seems like the most wonderful existence to me. You get to know the latest gossip, you have a research staff to keep you current with the news, and you meet the people who make the news. You deliver a humorous commentary on this nightly, and you go on to interview some of the people responsible. You become an insider in famous circles. All of this, plus you get paid.

I think I first got the idea when I was three or four years old, around the same time I tried to declare my candidacy for president. I remember very clearly sitting with my dad in his black leather recliner and watching Johnny Carson most nights. I wouldn’t understand all the humor until years later, but I always got a kick out of the animals when they were on with Jack Hannah and I loved the opening music. Later, in high school, I began to pay more attention to David Letterman who came on after Johnny finished up. Despite an aversion to Paul Schaffer which I still have today, I loved the more rough and tumble format of the show, and Dave had an edgy side which came out when he interviewed guests. Sometime after high school, I began to follow Tom Snyder as he interviewed guests on his own “late late show”, seemingly uniquely suited for a late night audience. I loved the feeling of connectedness you got when he interviewed someone like Don Rickles and they then started discussing some shared experience from decades before.

Is it feasible? Who knows? Who cares – it is a dream after all. Do fantasies need to be practical? I would just say that I have the “late night” thing down pat. If I did pursue this, I would consider it a success if I attained even the modest status of something like the local access program produced by Wayne and Garth in “Wayne’s World”.

Thanks for stopping by, and “That’s our show tonight, folks.”

Oh, and “Party on, Garth!”

What’s Your Dream Job? is a post from: shannonehlers.com

More on the Hillary Experience and more links after the break…

Over the weekend I had the opportunity to take in the Hillary Clinton experience at our local livestock auction arena during her helicopter tour of western Iowa (stops in Council Bluffs, Dunlap, and Le Mars). About three weeks prior, I had seen Barack Obama speak to a packed house there. On Sunday, December 16, Hillary was scheduled to arrive via helicopter and speak at 1:30 pm.

The senator was nearly two hours late to the appearance, prompting jokes about her helicopter running out of gas between Dunlap and her morning appearance in Council Bluffs (an hour away by car). Despite the tardiness, it was all the organizers could do to get the seats filled, with many volunteers not showing up to occupy their reserved seats. I even talked to one woman who told me that she had been solicited via automated telephone message to come be in the audience (“press 1 if you can attend”). After a few further jokes, albeit muffled in the rear of the audience, about the Clintons’ very profitable livestock options trading (popularly known as “cattlegate”, a name that has always struck me as odd) and the irony of the venue, the event got underway.

Despite the criticisms and jokes, the crowd was on average very respectful as the senator from New York spoke from her plywood platform above the livestock auction ring below, posed amid sacks of cattle ration. Clinton was able to stir up vocal support with pledges to support big labor and create a health care system where everyone pays as much as they are able. Somehow, though, the irony of the cattle options scandal wasn’t lost on those around me as several continued to discus the original Clinton impeachment.

Speaking of irony, what is it with Hillary and flags? Early on in the campaign, she had the domino effect going with a group of flags. During the first part of the Dunlap speech, a large United States flag draped behind her began to fall until it was no longer properly displayed. It continued to slip as the speech went on.

Were it not for the dramatic tardiness, the poor attendance, the falling flags, and the whispered jokes, Hillary’s Dunlap appearance would have been a strong political performance. As it was, the crowd was cordial and so it didn’t hurt her and she looked outstanding in her all-green pant suit with a necklace of gold balls around her neck, but by the time she finished up in Le Mars later that evening, she appeared exhausted and ready for a nap on the nightly news.

Like her or not, you can’t discount the valiant effort she made to be one of us that day, cattle and all.

Iowa Caucus: Is the Flag Falling on Hillary? is a post from: shannonehlers.com