Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

Reports brawl over impact of crops for fuel

 

BIOFUELS: Do the fuels harm the food supply —and fuel prices — or don’t they?

 

Days after an Ontario study declared the debate on farm crops for fuel finally over, UN researchers are warning of dire consequences for the world's poor from the growing practice.

And another analysis, this one released by the Canadian Trucking Alliance, says federal government requirements to include fuel derived from crops in diesel fuel will push up transportation costs and consumer prices.

The debate over ethanol and biodiesel has become intense as the use of corn for fuel has soared to the point where four out of every 10 bushels of corn grown in North America this year will be used for fuel -- not food.

 

Read the rest of the article here:

http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2011/06/20/18310371.html  

 

What do you think??

Views: 108

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Joann on June 22, 2011 at 5:08am

It would appear there is more than enough food to feed the world's population but the distribution and the associated costs are the real barriers.

 

Derivative speculations of agricultural commodities on Wall Street is proving to impact food costs, I believe, at a greater extent than the processing of the commodities.

 

Some studies are also speculating that " about 40 percent of all the food produced in the U.S. is thrown out".

 

That translates to "85 million gallons of water a day" wasted and "300 million barrels of oil per year". .....1400 calories of equivalent food waste/day or 150 trillion calories/year. Those are numbers for just one country alone.

 

I find the current ethanol/food debate to be a distraction from real global food problems. The distribution (manipulation) of wealth appears to be at the root of the problem.


http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0007940

▶ Reply to Discussion

RSS

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

McDonald’s Canada and Cargill Further Champion Youth Leadership in Beef Sustainability through partnership with the CRSB

The Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB) is proud to announce support from McDonald’s Canada and Cargill for its CRSB Council Youth Position, reinforcing their commitment to sustainability and amplifying the voices of young leaders in the Canadian beef industry. The position, an Ex-Officio (non-voting) role established in 2025, was added to the CRSB Council to ensure youth perspectives are represented and embedded in our approaches to beef sustainability now and in the future. This financial support for the position provided by McDonald’s Canada and Cargill will enable full participation in CRSB Council, member and other events for the next three years. The objectives of this CRSB Council youth position are to provide a platform for youth to actively participate in and contribute youth perspectives to the CRSB; to learn from, engage and collaborate with the multi-stakeholder representatives on the CRSB Council, and to provide youth governance experience and mentorship oppor

Purchasing the right bull can quickly move your beef herd toward your production goals. However, buying the right bull doesn’t start on sale day; it begins months in advance.

Purchasing the right bull can quickly move your beef herd toward your production goals. However, buying the right bull doesn’t start on sale day; it begins months in advance. #1: Establish Short- and Long-Term Breeding Goals Before looking at bulls, identify what you want your herd to achieve in the short and long-term. Your breeding program should align with your operation’s resources, management style and future plans. For example, knowing the traits that you want your calves to have (e.g. lighter birth weight, better growth, carcass quality, maternal traits), will better prepare you to match those goals with the genetic potential offered by available bulls. #2: Determine the Traits to Focus On Based on your goals, determine which traits to select for. As an example, if you are breeding first calf heifers, selecting bulls with higher calving ease is essential. In contrast, if you are not retaining replacement females and sell all calves after backgrounding, consider focusing on

Former ag minister Ritz remembers working with Prime Minister Harper

The former prime minister had his official portrait unveiling last week

Bonnefield joins Canadian Agriculture Investment Coalition

Bonnefield joined an investment coalition aiming to invest up to five billion dollars in Canadian agriculture and food innovation by 2030 to support growth and long-term success.

FCC Rallies Investor Coalition to Deploy Up to $5 Billion in Ag Innovation

Farm Credit Canada (FCC) has convened a coalition of more than 20 investment organizations collectively prepared to deploy up to $5 billion into Canadian agriculture and food innovation by 2030, marking what it describes as a generational investment opportunity for the sector. 

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service