(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-04-30 11:20

Still, Bush said the international food crisis "is of concern to us" and said the US government earlier this month added another $200 million in food aid.

A World Bank study has estimated that corn prices "rose by over 60 percent from 2005-07, largely because of the US ethanol program" combined with market forces.

Related readings:  UN announces food crisis task force  UN and World Bank to tackle food crisis  Thai rice hits new record, feeding food fears  World food fears mount as rice prices hit record  Rising food prices, weak dollar hit poor

Other nations, such as South Africa, have stopped or slowed the push to ethanol. But because the United States is the biggest producer, if it does nothing, other nations' efforts will not amount to much, von Braun said.

Von Braun said many issues are causing the food crisis, especially market forces and speculation, but that biofuel use also ranks high among the causes.

Scientists say the diversion of corn and soybeans for fuel helps force prices higher, and removes farm land from food production. Ethanol supporters say the corn used for fuels is the type only fed to livestock. However, other experts say it leads to higher livestock feed prices, thus higher food prices.

Because of this issue, legislators in Missouri are considering lifting a requirement that fuel in that state contain 10 percent ethanol.

Just how big biofuel's effect is on food prices depends on who is talking. President Bush said it's responsible for about 15 percent of the rise in costs. US Department of Agriculture spokesman Keith Williams put it closer to 20 percent.

A soon to be released International Food Policy Research Institute analysis blames 30 percent of the overall food price rise from 2000-2007 on biofuels. An industry-funded study put the food cost rise from biofuels at 4 percent.

Matt Hartwig, a spokesman for the Renewable Fuels Association, said, "World agriculture can both feed and fuel the globe."

   1 2   

   1 2