Today in World Opinion: Obama flip-flops on biofuels, says food his top priority
Biofuels Digest Editor Jim Lane will appear on the syndicated radio program AgriTalk this morning, discussing the findings from a Biofuels Digest study on China grain usage that concluded “It’s not fuel, it’s not fuel, it’s China”. A list of the 68-station network in 15 ([primarily Midwestern) states is here, and podcasts of Agritalk broadcasts as well as a live internet feed can be found here. The segment will air live from 11:10 to 11:30 am EDT.
US President George W. Bush:Â “As you know, I’m an ethanol person. It makes sense for America to be growing energy.”
Senator Barack Obama:Â “What I’ve said is my top priority is making sure people are able to get enough to eat. If it turns out we need to make changes in our ethanol policy to help people get something to eat, that has got to be the step we take. We have rising food prices around the United States. In other countries, we’re seeing riots because of the lack of food supply, so this is something we’re going to have to deal with.”
Former New Jersey Governor and EPA Administrator Christie Whitman: “It is time for the United States to reconsider its subsidies for corn-based ethanol. More and more daily headlines tell us of the food shortages facing the world and of ever increasing prices for staples here at home…The use of crops such as corn to produce biofuels such as ethanol is directly reducing the amount of food available for both human and livestock consumption. For the grains that remain for eating, the prices are naturally higher due to the increased demand for these products.
