Is there enough corn for Bush ethanol plan?

Booming demand is straining production, pushing prices higher

Of all the proposals in President Bush

The Great Corn Rush was already sweeping the Midwest before the White House set its ambitious new targets. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 provided generous subsidies for ethanol production along with increased mandates for its use to replace the fuel additive MTBE, which has been linked to cancer.

As a result, ethanol production has surged. Over 100 ethanol refineries nationwide now produce now than 5.4 billion gallons a year. The 2005 bill had set targets of 4 billion gallons for 2006 and 7.5 billion gallons by 2012. With dozens of additional ethanol plants coming on line in the nest few years, those targets now look comfortably attainable.

MSNBC