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August 20 – A BROAD VIEW OF FOOD VS FUEL:
The price of a bushel of corn and its effect on the price of just about everything else has created more nonsense on both sides of the argument than anything since Walt Disney was a pup. Is it a
food vs. fuel proposition? Does converting corn to ethanol so we can feed the gas tanks of America steal food from starving Africans? Maybe shipping cheap corn to Chad actually prevents that nation from
developing an Ag base that can grow its own food. (So begins a story and interview on “The Cattle Network” website today.
In an interesting commentary, followed by an interview with American Farm Bureau
Federation economist Terri Francl, they shine the light on the myths and misconceptions driving this ongoing issue.
According to Terri Francl, “The specter of the world’s poor not having enough
food is often raised in the context of various political debates. The use of renewable fuels as an energy source is no more or less important than the multitude of variables that affect the supply and demand
for food and the ultimate price. The reality is that few people are unable to access food due to either the lack of supply and/or price. It usually has more to do with the political and/or economic
system that affects the production and distribution of food within a country or region of the world. Where true emergencies exist, say a weather induced famine, the United States and other countries of the
world typically provide food and various other forms of food aid.”
For this and a lot more go to http://www.cattlenetwork.com/bi_content.asp?ContentId=153236
for the rest of the story.
If you want more information on the real story behind the rise of biofuels and its
effect on commodity prices and our society contact the Illinois Corn Growers Association for more information at (309) 557-3257 or email us at ilcorn@ilcorn.org.
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