The subsidization of corn-ethanol has proven to not live up to the original promises made when it was promoted as gasoline additive. With research pointing to ethanol as a source of increased greenhouse gases emissions and other pollution while merely changing energy consumption, not decreasing it, an alternative that achieves the original goals of is sought. I propose that sustainable farming practices have the ability to decrease the United States’ dependence on fossil fuels while decreasing emissions and pollution related to farming. By looking at the adoption of 3 year rotations, fertilizer banding, and zero tillage farming in Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, and Minnesota, I find a significant decrease in energy consumption and pesticide, herbicide, and synthetic fertilizer use through decrease in field operation and conservation of soil tilth. The adoption of these sustainable practices in these four states has the ability to conserve the energy equivalent of over 1.5 billion gallons of diesel fuel per year. Current promotion of diverse cropping systems and minimal tillage through policy by the United States Department of Agriculture shows that these sustainable farming practices are applicable in other regions throughout the United States.
","abstract_html":"<p>The subsidization of corn-ethanol has proven to not live up to the original promises made when it was promoted as gasoline additive. With research pointing to ethanol as a source of increased greenhouse gases emissions and other pollution while merely changing energy consumption, not decreasing it, an alternative that achieves the original goals of is sought. I propose that sustainable farming practices have the ability to decrease the United States’ dependence on fossil fuels while decreasing emissions and pollution related to farming. By looking at the adoption of 3 year rotations, fertilizer banding, and zero tillage farming in Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, and Minnesota, I find a significant decrease in energy consumption and pesticide, herbicide, and synthetic fertilizer use through decrease in field operation and conservation of soil tilth. The adoption of these sustainable practices in these four states has the ability to conserve the energy equivalent of over 1.5 billion gallons of diesel fuel per year. Current promotion of diverse cropping systems and minimal tillage through policy by the United States Department of Agriculture shows that these sustainable farming practices are applicable in other regions throughout the United States.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Weiland, Brandon John"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"M.A.","degree_level":"Masters Thesis","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Chiara Piovani, Ph.D.","Andrew Goetz","Markus Schneider","Tracy Mott"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2015,"date_issued":"2015-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2015-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:02:19Z","subjects":["Ethanol","Fuel savings","Sustainable farming","Behavioral Economics","Economics","Environmental Studies"],"languages":["en"],"rights":["Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/695","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Chiara Piovani, Ph.D.","Andrew Goetz","Markus Schneider","Tracy Mott"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Weiland, Brandon John"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2001-01-01T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Masters Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["M.A."]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Ethanol","Fuel savings","Sustainable farming","Behavioral Economics","Economics","Environmental Studies"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["en"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
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"],"dc:subject":["Ethanol","Fuel savings","Sustainable farming","Behavioral Economics","Economics","Environmental Studies"],"dc:title":["Sustainable Farming Versus Ethanol: A Comparison of Energy Use"],"thesis:degree_level":["Masters Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["M.A."]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:02:19Z"}