Farming and Food

Bob delGrosso did a great rant last week on whether it makes sense to use a food (corn) to create biofuels. I am not going to link to all his follow-ups (primarily links to news stories on the topic) because you can read his blog and find them yourselves. His blog is always a good read. Shortly thereafter the New York Times confirmed him as a prophet. If that weren't enough the venerable Buffalo News chimed in with the similar thoughts.

Now it is easy to accept that there is a problem with corn to biofuels without connecting it to grain shortages overseas. After all, they are not rioting over corn or soybeans, or even wheat, but staples not used for biofuels.

But, this is all interconnected, and our domestic agricultural policy has been bankrupt since Earl Butz in the Seventies. It is bloated with Pork, Corporate Welfare, and Self-Interest. Doubt me? Watch the last season of the West Wing - see how Alan Alda's character tries to oppose the Corn Lobby.

Still have doubts? Watch Bill Moyers' Expose from last week, or read the transcript. Read the complete Washington Post investigation. Guess what the Government is paying farmers in Texas not to grow. Rice. Guess what some of those farmers are doing - they are subdividing their properties and selling them for "starter mansions" and still collecting from the government. There is more, widespread stuff going on, but in these particular cases you are dealing with the growing of rice. That's what the food riots are about!