Informative Speech on the Effects of Ethanol in Nebraska - Devin Betzen
Channel: Devin Betzen
Date: 2016-02-24

Title: Effects of Ethanol on Nebraska
Topic: The pros and cons of having ethanol plants in Nebraska.
Purpose Statement: To inform my listeners about some of the benefits Nebraska receives from ethanol plants as well as some of the negative sides to it.
Thesis: Nebraska’s ethanol boom has helped boost Nebraska’s economy, but at the same time it also has hurt local farmers in the process.

Introduction Paragraph:
From the beginning of ethanol production in 1985 producing 9 million gallons as compared to 1.8 billion gallons in 2014. Nebraska is a huge agricultural state. Most of our income is from corn. Corn is Nebraska's most important crop, with much of it going to feed cattle and hogs. Here recently though, most of this corn is going to newly constructed ethanol plants. This is having some huge impacts for Nebraska, most of these impacts are good, but whenever there’s a change in a dominant industry, you are bound some negative side effects.

I.   First Main Point – Positive Effects of Ethanol (90 seconds)
a. Boosted Jobs - “Aside from saving drivers money at the pump, ethanol is creating new jobs and economic activity right here in Nebraska,” said Ethanol Board Chairman Mike Thede: Ethanol Boosts Nebraska Economy. (2009, September 14). Nebraska Ethanol Board.
          i. Construction of plants
          ii. Employment of new workers
b. Boosted Economy.
i. No longer importing from other countries - Nebraska ethanol plants shipped     96 percent of their production out of state last year, making the state one of the largest biofuel exporters: Hubbard, R. (2015, April 14). Nebraska's ethanol industry is worth $5 billion a year, study finds.
ii. Less fuel emissions
c. Positive Effects of ethanol 
          i. Temperature to burn the ethanol vs. oil based gasses
          ii. Ethanol spills vs. oil based spills

II. Negative effects of Ethanol and production (90 seconds)
a. Price of land increases due to the value of the land - Investors from as far away as Maryland and Pennsylvania have bought thousands of acres in Wayne County, sending prices skyrocketing from $350 per acre a decade ago to $5,000 today: Colaneri, K. (2013, November 12). Environmental impacts of ethanol may outweigh the benefits. StateImpact Pennsylvania.
b. The cost local farmers have to pay 
c. Surplus of ethanol so crop prices have plummeted.  

III.   What the future holds for ethanol production (90 seconds)
a. Look back at production from 1985 (first ethanol plant) compared to production today - Nebraska’s ethanol industry produced 9 million gallons in 1985 and has grown to be the second-largest in the country, behind Iowa’s, churning out 1.8 billion gallons last year: Hubbard, R. (2015, April 14). Nebraska's ethanol industry is worth $5 billion a year, study finds.
b. What farming looks like as far as crop production (beans, corn, wheat, etc) 
c. What ethanol production looks like from another countries standpoint. Puts us ahead due to no longer needing to import. 

Conclusion Paragraph (45 seconds)
Ethanol has had many impacts on Nebraska, both positive and negative. Looking at economic standpoints and looking at the direction that ethanol production and usage is going, it is safe to say that ethanol will be around for a very long time and in time, may end the importation of oil. Nebraska’s ethanol industry produced 9 million gallons in 1985 and has grown to be the second-largest in the country, behind Iowa’s, churning out 1.8 billion gallons last year:  
References
Colaneri, K. (2013, November 12). Environmental impacts of ethanol may outweigh the benefits. StateImpact Pennsylvania.
Ethanol Boosts Nebraska Economy. (2009, September 14). Nebraska Ethanol Board.
Ethanol Sector Wages Outpace Other Nebraska Industries. (2014, June 30). Nebraska Ethanol Board.
Hubbard, R. (2015, April 14). Nebraska's ethanol industry is worth $5 billion a year, study finds.
Thompson, E. (2015). Economic impacts of the Ethanol Industry in Nebraska. University of Nebraska Bureau of Business Research, 1-27.