Spotted Owl Ten conservation groups allege that the Forest Service has failed in its duty to protect the Mexican Spotted Owl from cattle grazing on public land. The plaintiffs contend that the 1996 management plans for protecting the owl are not being enforced. The cattle destroy cottonwood and willow trees, and run out small mammals that serve as the owl s habitat and diet. A study published by Conservation Biology finds that the owl s annual population decline is approximately ten percent. USDA will subsidize bioenergy companies that purchase agriculture products, such as corn and soybeans, to increase production of alternative fuels.
Corn based fuels mixed with gasoline has a two-fold benefit.
First, use of alternative fuels reduces pollutants released into the atmosphere. Second, use of alternative fuels reduces the consumption of oil, and thus reduces imports of oil. Moreover, this program will open up another avenue for utilization of surplus agricultural products. 567 million bushels of corn are converted into alternative fuels. In 2000, 1.6 billion gallons of ethanol were produced.