Ethanol is a renewable, homegrown fuel that can help lower U.S. dependence on foreign oil. But as more and more ethanol is made from corn, less and less corn is available for food production, and that´s causing some unforeseen problems. Corn is a mainstay of American agriculture- it´s an important ingredient in cereals and baked goods, and corn syrup is used to make processed foods like candy, chips and soft drinks. But most importantly, corn is the major source of food for cattle, pigs, turkeys and chickens that are headed for the dinner table.
I can´t see any problem in the use of biofuels.. well, almost. The only problem I see is the pressure that the big oil industry is facing.. so It is easy to understand why we are seeing propaganda against the ethanol, or anything that didn´t come from the oil wells. By the way, just take a look at Google earth to se how little area of our beautiful planet have crops... not to mention that there is a lot of food in the sea, as long the supertankers stop spilling petroleum on it! So I think that America as well the World has a opportunity to get rid of the stupid dependence on petroleum, and substitute it with a clean, feasible (take a look at the Brazilian example) and renewable font of energy..and my wake up call is for not worry about food shortage caused by biofuels, but for political and economic issues. Enrique Broens
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