FarmPolicy

News Articles Highlight Biofuels, Food Costs & Acreage Issues

Sue Kirchhoff reported recently in the USA Today on the energy bill that was passed by Congress and signed by President Bush last month. In part, Ms. Kirchhoff noted that, “But the ethanol mandate is drawing the most attention, and contention, as critics from the United Nations to U.S. livestock producers and food processors question whether it makes sense to devote about a third of the U.S. corn crop to fuel when world grain stocks are at a 30-year low and prices at historic highs.

“Wheat and soybean prices have basically doubled, and livestock production costs have shot up as farmers increased corn production in the past year. Even non-food crops such as cotton are affected as U.S. growers switch into more lucrative grain crops.

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Posted by Keith Good • January, 2, 2008 • 6:12 am