As domestic ethanol production continues to grow, agricultural observers can quickly and easily see many of the potential benefits: increased investment in the rural economy, the environmental benefits of using a renewable fuel, and increased demand for corn, which can lead to higher incomes for corn growers.
However, New York Times reporter Matthew L. Wald, in an article published in yesterday’s paper, provided a look at a potential downfall of increased corn based ethanol production: global hunger.
According to Mr. Wald, “The rising corn prices may be good news for farmers, but they are worrying some food planners.
“‘We’re putting the supermarket in competition with the corner filling station for the output of the farm,’ said Lester R. Brown, an agriculture expert in Washington, D.C., and president of the Earth Policy Institute. Farms cannot feed all the world’s people and its motor vehicles as well, Mr. Brown said, and the result is that more people will go hungry.”
The Times article also included the perspective of Joachim von Braun, the director of the International Food Policy Research Institute who noted that “the mouth of your car is a monster compared to your family’s stomach needs.”
On the other hand, the Times included the view of Nick Young, the president of an agriculture consulting firm, Promar, in Alexandria, Va., who indicated that, “it was an exaggeration to say that nonfood use of crops will make the world’s poor go hungry, but he added that the use of vegetable oil as a substitute for diesel fuel had already driven up the price of canola oil.”
As ethanol use continues to grow, it’s likely that media reports covering various aspects of the industry will continue to grow as well.
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As it turns out, today will be my last guest post at AgWired.com. Activity surrounding my Email newsletter, FarmPolicy.com, continues to grow and requires more time and attention.
I have certainly enjoyed the opportunity to blog at what I consider to be the best ag related blog on the Internet. It has been a wonderful experience. Thanks for reading.
Keith Good writes The FarmPolicy.com News Summary, an Email newsletter containing a summary of news relating to U.S. farm policy which is published most weekdays. For more information, go to www.FarmPolicy.com.