11 January, 2011

FP's take on food supply shortages

"In the United States, which harvested 416 million tons of grain in 2009, 119 million tons went to ethanol distilleries to produce fuel for cars. That's enough to feed 350 million people for a year. The massive U.S. investment in ethanol distilleries sets the stage for direct competition between cars and people for the world grain harvest."

Ethanol never seemed like a particularly good idea to me. If Obama ever manages to dig his country out of its economic hole, I hope he has the wherewithal to crush the ethanol bills and laws that were instated under Bush Junior. Right after he stopps fracking.

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