US sending money to North Carolina, New York farmers for energy crops - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack plans to announce Wednesday that North Carolina and New York each will receive about $4 million for farmers growing crops used to produce energy.

These giveaways of taxpayer dollars are a major drain on the economy.  If there is a major demand for biofuels and ethanol then the market will support the growth of fuel crops.  But, by taking money from taxpayers and giving it to some special groups to support as-yet unfeasible technologies, the whole economy is being suppressed because those taxpayers are stripped of funds that might otherwise drive demand for other goods and services they want.

This is vote buying, plain and simple.