There’s been riots over the rise in food prices.
You may heave heard about, or even seen first-hand, rising food costs. (As have I—milk is how much?) Just be grateful you’re not a biofuel producer, since those guys are feeling some heat, namely for “crimes against humanity.” That’s a hard accusation to shake, methinks.
Certain individuals are blaming biofuel producers for the high cost of food right now. Why waste foodstuffs producing fuel when people, quite literally, are starving because they cannot afford to buy food? Especially since the whole goal of biofuel—to help reduce the emission of greenhouse gasses in order to prevent global warming—really seems to be a Developed World concern more than anything else. When you’re living in the Developing World with several children to feed, do you really care if the temperature of the Earth has risen by a 1/100th of a degree? It’s just not an immediate, “I have to feed my children today or something bad will happen” concern.
It’s gotten so heated that some are demanding the European Union suspend its subsidization of biofuel. Obviously I’m not a foods scientist, but this quote, addressing what will happen if biofuel subsidies don’t end, from Nestlé’s CEO sounded scary enough:
There will be nothing left to eat
A fine way to start your day.
at least they have (and can afford) cigarettes. whew! that’s a relief…
There are more efficient sources of biomass than corn. So why does our government and corn growers demand biofuel come from corn? Because corn farmers (and corn agribusiness companies like ConAgra) can make more money with their current corn farms!
Why give the business of the future to some grass grower (or hemp grower?) in some other State just because the developing world can’t compete with subsidized biofuel industry.
Nestle doesn’t care about anything but their own profits.
Thanks for the information. Here’s my response if you find it of interest.
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