VOA常速英语2007-Ethanol Helps Fuel US Family Farms' Future

By Jeffrey Young
Washington
16 October 2007
 

U.S. farmers have gone through many cycles of boom and bust¹. But as VOA's Jeffrey Young reports, prospects² for American agriculture are looking up, thanks to rising crop prices and land values, especially in areas where corn is grown.

In the Midwestern U.S. state of Iowa, corn and other crops cover the gently rolling ground as far as the eye can see.  John Thompson farms near Webster City.

Thompson says this bounty³ is a gift from natural events long ago. "Here in Iowa, we've got some of the richest black topsoil of anywhere you'll find in the world. It's deep, and it's extremely fertile. The reason for that is during the Ice Age, there were four glacial movements that came through Iowa," he explains.

But Iowa's rich soil did not always translate into wealth for those who farmed it.  In the early-to-mid 1980s, depressed⁴ crop prices and high interest rates caused a growing number of family farms to fail.

Curt⁵ McKoskey was one of the casualties. He now manages a chicken hatchery in Webster City. "I farmed for several years and fell victim to the farm crisis [of the 1980s].  And that's why I am working here," he says. "This is one way that I can keep my foot in the agricultural door, so to speak."

McKoskey says the farm situation then went from bleak⁶ to bright because of a series of federal laws subsidizing ethanol as an alternative fuel.  "Until the ethanol business got going, for instance on the price of corn, people were getting the same price for corn as they were getting 20 years ago. But all of their expenses kept going up."   If it wasn't for government, there would probably be a lot of small farmers who would not survive."

The demand for ethanol has doubled the price of corn -- and sharply hiked farmland values -- in recent years.

Another crop, soybean, is being converted to a renewable fuel called biodiesel. The search for new energy sources has enabled many family farmers to put money in the bank, and invest in new machinery⁷, better seed and other ways of getting more out of their land. 

Webster City farmer John Thompson notes during a visit to the Iowa State Fair, that benefits everyone. "There is technology here that is increasing the production of the corn.  And so we are seeing yields that we have never seen in the past.  Which is also helping⁸ to contribute to feeding the world" he says.

When farmers make money, it spills over into the broader rural economy.  Companies that store and ship grain to markets are busier.  Equipment manufacturers get more sales.  Retail⁹ stores in farming communities also benefit from rising incomes.

The U.S. government says family farms account for 98 percent of all farming.  And with family farms doing better, there is more incentive¹⁰ for young people in rural areas to stay. 

1 bust   

vt.打破；vi.爆裂；n.半身像；胸部

参考例句：

• I dropped my camera on the pavement and bust it. 我把照相机掉在人行道上摔坏了。
• She has worked up a lump of clay into a bust.她把一块黏土精心制作成一个半身像。

2 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

3 bounty   

n.慷慨的赠予物，奖金；慷慨，大方；施与

参考例句：

• He is famous for his bounty to the poor.他因对穷人慷慨相助而出名。
• We received a bounty from the government.我们收到政府给予的一笔补助金。

4 depressed   

adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的

参考例句：

• When he was depressed,he felt utterly divorced from reality.他心情沮丧时就感到完全脱离了现实。
• His mother was depressed by the sad news.这个坏消息使他的母亲意志消沉。

5 curt   

adj.简短的，草率的

参考例句：

• He gave me an extremely curt answer.他对我作了极为草率的答复。
• He rapped out a series of curt commands.他大声发出了一连串简短的命令。

6 bleak   

adj.(天气)阴冷的；凄凉的；暗淡的

参考例句：

• They showed me into a bleak waiting room.他们引我来到一间阴冷的会客室。
• The company's prospects look pretty bleak.这家公司的前景异常暗淡。

7 machinery   

n.(总称)机械，机器；机构

参考例句：

• Has the machinery been put up ready for the broadcast?广播器材安装完毕了吗？
• Machinery ought to be well maintained all the time.机器应该随时注意维护。

8 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

9 retail   

v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格

参考例句：

• In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。
• These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。

10 incentive   

n.刺激；动力；鼓励；诱因；动机

参考例句：

• Money is still a major incentive in most occupations.在许多职业中，钱仍是主要的鼓励因素。
• He hasn't much incentive to work hard.他没有努力工作的动机。