U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer is defending the production of ethanol in Rome this week at the UN Food and Agriculture Organization High-Level Conference on World Food Security.
During a press conference with international media at the opening of the conference, Schafer answered a number of questions related to biofuels and stressed the minimal impact of production on food prices.
“We at the United States Department of Agriculture have plotted the long-term trends of price, yield, availability and consumption; and as we’ve looked at those long-term trends we are anticipating this year an over 40 percent increase in food price inflation globally, 43 percent approximately,” Schafer said. “Of that, we can identify 2 to 3 percent of that price increase that is driven by biofuels. The majority of course is energy, and the second largest piece, or about equal piece, is the increase in consumption around the world which is using up the production stocks.”
The secretary also pointed out that production of biofuels is helping to alleviate some of the pressure from higher energy costs. “By biofuels, we are reducing the use of the high cost of oil today. It’s been estimated that we have, through biofuel production, reduced a million barrels a day of oil and oil record high prices,” he said.
In his address to the conference, Schafer stressed the United States commitment to feeding the world, while at the same time working toward greater energy security through sustainable production of biofuels.
“The use of sustainable biofuels can increase energy security, foster economic development especially in rural areas, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions without weighing heavily on food prices,” Schafer said in his prepared remarks. “A recently passed law requires that we minimize possible food security and environmental concerns, in part through significant investment in next-generation biofuel technologies that do not rely on grains and oilseeds used for food or feed.”
Even the FAO admits that biofuels are only one factor in rising food costs. According to the FAO Biofuels Factsheet for the conference, “Demand from biofuel production is one cause of increasing food prices, but poor harvests in certain key exporting countries, low stock levels, high energy costs and increasing food demand due to rapid economic growth in some countries have also all contributed. It is the coincidence of all of these factors which has led to the dramatic increase in food prices, and which makes it difficult to estimate the precise impact of any single factor.“
Last year’s conference in St. Petersburg attracted more than 450 participants and Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles Bronson believes this year’s conference will be even bigger and better. 
“Addressing issues of food security is a matter of great importance that cannot be taken lightly. As world leaders meet in Rome this week to discuss the price and availability of food worldwide, it is critical they examine all factors impacting food equally and without prejudice,” Dinneen said in a statement. “They must agree on solutions that do not derail the one industry that has significantly reduced oil consumption, while having little overall impact on the price of food – biofuels.”
Dinneen says he believes representatives from the United States at the conference, including Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer, will do a good job in addressing the misinformation about biofuels that has been causing global concerns.
A 100% biodiesel boat trying to break the world record for circumnavigation of the globe has run into a bit of trouble in the East Indies. The Earthrace hit some debris near Palau and is limping toward Singapore for more permanent repairs:
Having made a swift 3 hours 15 minutes turnaround in Palau, Earthrace encountered some sea debris, which has damaged the port prop. The boat returned to port where the prop was removed and the drive shaft tested. The shaft has been put out of line and will require repair in Singapore. Earthrace left Palau at 0400 local time and will journey to Singapore on one engine. Her reduced speed of 16 kn will still maintain her lead on the current record, and help mitigate any further damage from possible sea debris, which is a known problem in this stretch of water. Ground Crew will arrive in Singapore on Monday 2nd June as planned, and will prepare for the repairs. The weather forecast is good and the revised ETA for Earthrace in Singapore is Friday 6th June. An update will be posted later today.
Nickelodeon, the kids’ network known for dumping copious amounts of green slime on participants of its silly contests, is taking its show on the road. And while it won’t be green slime fueling the “Slime Across America” tour, there will be green fuel in the tank.
In the piece on 
I really enjoyed getting to talk with our USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development, Tom Dorr, this evening. He was our keynote speaker at the CUTC. 
The fun and games are about to begin here at the
That’s exactly where the ethanol industry’s leading executives consider themselves to be when it comes to fueling the nation. Oil and fossil fuels are big time competitors for ethanol, but a growing criticism of the renewable simply demonstrates the alternative fuel’s mounting success.