FAO director general: ‘The US must take biofuel action to prevent a food crisis’

The UN’s Food & Agricultural Organisation has called for the US to suspect its biofuels mandatory targets. Writing in the Financial Times yesterday (9th Aug), FAO Director General Jose Graziano da Silva said that the drought currently being suffered in the US, which is the worst in 50 years, is having serious consequences on the international food supply. The US’ demand for biofuel is only worsening the food shortages, he warned.

He said that around 40% of the maize crop would be used for biofuel production to hit  US federal mandates, leaving much less of it for food markets. This will mean that biofuels are used to feed cars whilst people go hungry as food prices increase due to the shortages.

As a result, he has has called for the reduction or suspension of the US biofuels mandate.

You can read his full article here: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/85a36b26-e22a-11e1-b3ff-00144feab49a.html#axzz2399Yfj5I