Food, Feed, Fuel: Transforming the Competition for Grains

Abstract

Critical changes are underway in the domain of grain utilization. With the large-scale diversion of corn for the manufacture of ethanol, the bulk of it in the USA, there has been a transformation of the food–feed competition that emerged in the twentieth century and characterized the world's grain consumption after World War II. Concerns have already been expressed in several quarters regarding the role of corn-based ethanol in the recent food price spike and the global food crisis. In this context, this article attempts to outline the theoretical tenets of a food–feed–fuel competition in the domain of grain consumption. The study focuses on developments in the US economy from 1980 onwards, when the earliest initiatives on bio-fuel promotion were undertaken. The transformation of the erstwhile food–feed competition with the introduction of fuel as a further use for grains has caused a new dynamics of adjustments between the different uses of grains. This tilts the distribution of cereal consumption drastically against the low-income classes and poses tougher challenges in the fight against global hunger.

Ethanol, Corn, and Broiler: The Interdependence Between the Global Chains

“…Although criticized by the impact fuel production infers in food production (PIMENTEL et al, 2008;TIMILSINA et al, 2011;TIMILSINA et al, 2012;BANERJEE, 2011), one-third of every bushel of grain processed into ethanol is enhanced and returned to the animal feed market in the form of distiller's grains, corn gluten feed or corn gluten meal. From the 118 million of tons used for ethanol production in 2012, there were also an amount of 34.4 million tonnes of highquality livestock feed, which includes 31.6 million tonnes of distillers' grains and 2.8 million tons of corn gluten feed and meal.…”

“…The US corn ethanol production to be added to gasoline is being expanded with governmental subsidies in taxes reduction (FIGUEIRA & BURNQUIST, 2006). According to Banerjee (2011) there are nowadays nearly 200 distinct subsidies to produce ethanol, and it involves 209 ethanol distilleries located in 29 states. By December 2011, there were other 140 units under construction or expansion of their ethanol production capacity, and improvement of both the energy efficiency and the quality of the livestock feed.…”

Ecological Meltdown: Impact of Unchecked Growth on the Earth’s Natural Systems

“…There is also need to have a strategy for controlling the demand of the consumers, otherwise trade, illegal or legal, will continue no matter how stringent national laws and MEAs are. They suggested the merger of five major biodiversity related multilateral agreements (CBD, WHS, CITES, CMS, and RAMSAR) as money and time saved 1 Yotopoulos (1985) 2 Banerjee (2011) through merger can be used in rejuvenating the dying ecology. The crucial recommendation of the book is to integrate environmental concerns in HDI and thereby defines the concept of 'sustainable development index'.…”

Yield stability for cereals in a changing climate

“…The rising global scarcity and insecurity regarding availability of fossil fuels has caused increased interest in converting grain into biofuel, resulting in an unprecedented insecurity in food supply (Young 2009;Banerjee 2011). The increasing diversion of food crops to biofuel production risks escalating food prices and provides an additional challenge to meet future food production targets.…”