Dow Chemical and Ford Motor Co. to Join Forces
Editor’s Note: This post is a guest contribution by Adam Shake.
The symbiosis between cars and chemically-produced biofuels is growing closer as Ford Motor Company and DOW Chemical Company announced plans yesterday to hold a National Convention to discuss the future of manufacturing, technology, energy and the environment.
Ford Motor Co. Executive Chairman Bill Ford and Dow Chemical Co. Chairman and Chief Executive Andrew Liveris are scheduled to discuss “The National Summit,” which will take place June 15-17 2009, at Ford Field, the home of the Detroit Lions.
“The United States can no longer afford to take economic leadership for granted,” Ford said in a statement issued Monday by the economic club. “The National Summit offers a rare opportunity for leaders to come together to address the issues that impact our global competitiveness.”
DOW Chemical, who may be best known for its supply of Agent Orange to the U.S. Military during the Vietnam War, also made Chlorpyrifos, marketed as Dursban. Dursban was a home and garden insecticide (now banned for home use) and is also a nerve toxin that has been associated with reproductive and developmental toxicity. One study claims that Dow has contributed to 80% of the Chlorpyrifos burden of the United States.
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Dow AgroSciences LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Dow Chemical Company specializing in not only agricultural chemicals such as pesticides, but also seeds and biotechnology solutions. This may be where the company and Automotive Manufacturer’s are able to work together by forming a partnership that embodies both the car and the bio-fuel that powers it. In addition, it will aid in their ability to lobby congress to fund loan programs that would benefit both companies.
DOW has already started to blame the Government for it’s economic woes, saying “For years, Washington has failed to address the issue of rising energy costs and, as a result, the country now faces a true energy crisis, one that is causing serious harm to America’s manufacturing sector and all consumers of energy.”
At the same time, the Big Three automakers are already lobbying to fund a $25 billion loan program to help the companies modernize their plants.
Sources: Associated Press, and Mlive.com
Photo Credit: Mrobenalt via Creative Commons License
Just a quick correction: Agent Orange was made by Monsanto, not Dow.
Also, this alliance sounds scary to me. I hate to think Dow will end up with a monopoly on a oil crop, like what Monsanto has tried to do with “Roundup-ready” crops like soybeans and corn.
Good catch, but it was actually a consortium of companies — Dow, Monsanto, and Diamond Shamrock — that produced agent orange.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agent_Orange
The prospect of one of those companies having a monopoly on biofuel feedstock scares the bejeezus outta me too. You ever read about what Monsanto did to Percy Schmeiser?
http://www.percyschmeiser.com/