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US and EU must change biofuel targets to avert food crisis, says Nestlé chief
EurActiv ^ | 04 September 2012 | John Vidal for the Guardian, part of the Guardian Environment Network

Posted on 09/04/2012 9:39:56 AM PDT by Olog-hai

Nestlé, the world's largest food company, has added its weight to calls by the UN and development groups for the US and EU to change their biofuel targets because of looming food shortages and price rises.

"We say no food for fuel," said Paul Bulcke, chief executive of Nestlé, at the end of the World Water Week conference in Sweden. "Agricultural food-based biofuel is an aberration. We say that the EU and US should put money behind the right biofuels."

Under laws intended to reduce foreign oil imports, 40% of US maize (corn) harvest must be used to make biofuels, even though one of the deepest droughts in the past 100 years is expected to reduce crop yields significantly. In addition, EU countries are expected to move towards drawing 10-20% of their energy supply for transport from biofuels to reduce carbon emissions.

But Nestlé, which has 470 food factories around the world and 25% of the world's bottled water market, says clean economy and US energy independence should not be pursued at the expense of food supplies or massive price increases. …

(Excerpt) Read more at euractiv.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Foreign Affairs; Government
KEYWORDS: biofuels; eussr; nestle

1 posted on 09/04/2012 9:40:02 AM PDT by Olog-hai
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To: Olog-hai
The global elites WANT a food crisis.

The more peasants they can starve, the closer their dream of living in a Walden paradise free of unnecessary peasants becomes.

2 posted on 09/04/2012 9:44:45 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (Government is the religion of the sociopath.)
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To: Olog-hai
We began turning corn into fuel, and the price of tortillas went up dramatically in Mexico. Will someone on the Left please tell me how that is kind or benevolent?
3 posted on 09/04/2012 9:45:10 AM PDT by Pecos (Double tap: the only acceptable gun control)
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To: Olog-hai
What idiot thought it would be a good idea to use a crop grown for food to be used for fuel? How about food shortages? People are starving around the world and we are burning corn for fuel - had to be a green, liberal idiot! How about droughts (oh our farmers are experiencing one). I can't believe the lack of intellegent people we have running things now.
4 posted on 09/04/2012 9:47:43 AM PDT by Bitsy
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To: Olog-hai

The ethonol mandates was a retarded idea from the start


5 posted on 09/04/2012 9:48:36 AM PDT by GeronL (The Right to Life came before the Right to Pursue Happiness)
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To: Olog-hai

Liberals meant well. Just tighten your belt and FEEL good about the Planet.


6 posted on 09/04/2012 9:51:08 AM PDT by a fool in paradise (Only Obama put a dog on the roof of his mouth. Dogs are friends, not food.)
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To: Olog-hai

Corn for fuel destroys the Amazon Rainforest.

American farmers stop growing soy beans so they can grow corn for gas tanks. Brazilians cut down rainforest to plan the soy beans.

Environmentalism is killing the rainforest.

Way to go, Congress and Green Weenies!


7 posted on 09/04/2012 9:52:22 AM PDT by Uncle Miltie (You didn't build that. The private sector is doing fine. We tried our plan and it worked.)
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To: Uncle Miltie

It has nothing to do about green. It has to do about votes.
When the Rats discovered the policy would get them corn belt votes..they abandoned their objections to big Ethanol and ADM.
It is now another third rail of politics..who want to piss off the corn belt voters?


8 posted on 09/04/2012 9:55:38 AM PDT by Oldexpat
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To: Pecos

We began turning corn into fuel, and the price of tortillas went up dramatically in Mexico.

********************

Chickens and farm raised fish eat corn meal feed as well. Think chicken will remain an inexpensive protein for your dinner table? Enjoy it now.


9 posted on 09/04/2012 9:56:34 AM PDT by Psalm 144 ( "I didn't leave the Democratic Party. The party left me." Ronald Wilson Reagan)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

the left cares about population growth so why dod they keep having babies, join me in asking for the worlds population to go down by calling on the left, to stop having babies


10 posted on 09/04/2012 9:57:30 AM PDT by manc (Marriage =1 man + 1 woman,when they say marriage equality then they should support polygamy)
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To: manc
join me in asking for the worlds population to go down by calling on the left, to stop having babies

I thought most of them were adopted from Somalia, Goatswanaland, or some other downtrodden victim of colonialism?

11 posted on 09/04/2012 10:10:29 AM PDT by norton
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To: Pecos
The left doesn't care about reality - they care about how something they do makes them ‘feel’ about themselves.

Not only did the price of tortillas go way up, but it costs more energy to make ethanol than we get out of it, AND we have to pay farmers extra (artificially manipulating markets) but with all that against the foolishness of this - it still accomplishes one very important act.

The great accomplishment is elite liberals get to feel good about themselves AND superior to the little people who don't understand their lofty ideas... It's a twofer...

12 posted on 09/04/2012 10:15:58 AM PDT by GOPJ (Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading - T. Jefferson)
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To: Bitsy
People are starving around the world and we are burning corn for fuel

For more than sixty years we have been showing the entire world how to grow far more food than they can possibly eat.

So much food that they, and us, could BURN it to heat their home, fuel their cars, and STILL have mountains of surplus.

They have purposely and consistently ignored our lead, and our offers to help.

There is a price to pay for stupidity.

LET THE BASTARDS STARVE TO DEATH.

13 posted on 09/04/2012 10:48:38 AM PDT by Balding_Eagle (Liberals, at their core, are aggressive & dangerous to everyone around them,)
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To: Balding_Eagle

The only problem is its us they want to starve.


14 posted on 09/04/2012 11:22:03 AM PDT by Repeat Offender (Official Romney/GOP-E Platform - We suck less)
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To: Repeat Offender

Well, that just won’t happen.

In the 1930’s, in one of the biggest breadbaskets of the world, the Ukraine, Stalin deliberately starved 30 million people to death.

You may be talking of such a government, and BHO is racing us down that path, baring such a government, the American Farmer will never allow that to happen.


15 posted on 09/04/2012 11:44:57 AM PDT by Balding_Eagle (Liberals, at their core, are aggressive & dangerous to everyone around them,)
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To: GOPJ
AND we have to pay farmers extra (artificially manipulating markets)

If you're talking of the ethanol fuel subsidies, they ended 12/31/2011.

16 posted on 09/04/2012 11:49:11 AM PDT by Balding_Eagle (Liberals, at their core, are aggressive & dangerous to everyone around them,)
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To: Olog-hai

A few months ago, I posted here that burning our food for fuel was insane.
Then some guy who claimed to be a chemical engineer retorted that the corn being converted to engine destroying ethanol was field corn suited only for FEEDING LIVESTOCK and had NO IMPACT ON FOOD SUPPLIES.

Unfortunately, I got busy with other matters and never responded to that retort.

I choose to do so now by asking this “expert” a simple question: If the corn us used to feed livestock, PRAY TELL ME WHAT THE HELL IS THE LIVESTOCK USED FOR???

I don’t expect an answer.


17 posted on 09/04/2012 12:09:34 PM PDT by Dick Bachert
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To: Psalm 144; GOPJ
Oh, I've always understood that the modern Leftist is more concerned about appearance and feeling good about himself than actually improving anyone’s life. The price of tortillas and grain-fed chicken, beef, lamb, etc. illustrates it clearly. I guess the arrogance of it all is what bothers me the most - ignorance and self-promotion masquerading compassion.
18 posted on 09/10/2012 5:39:52 AM PDT by Pecos (Double tap: the only acceptable gun control)
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To: Pecos
I guess the arrogance of it all is what bothers me the most - ignorance and self-promotion masquerading compassion.

That's something that bothers most of us...

19 posted on 09/10/2012 7:30:48 AM PDT by GOPJ (Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading - T. Jefferson)
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