US drought renews debate on biofuel_美文_双语阅读-查字典英语网

US drought renews debate on biofuel

The United States requires that part of its corn crop be used in the production of biofuels. The use of ethanol has grown as government requirements have increased. But the head of the FAO, writing in the Financial Times, called for "an immediate, temporary suspension" of that requirement. Jose Graziano da Silva said more of the American corn production could then be used as food or to feed animals.

The American livestock industry is also urging Congress to suspend the law that requires ethanol in gasoline. But corn farmer Alan Bennett says doing that would hurt his town.

ALAN BENNETT: "It could bankrupt the ethanol plant. It is a huge deal. This country relies on ethanol for ten percent of its fuel supply. Ethanol is good for America."

The growth of the ethanol industry and competition for corn have been helping parts of rural America that had been shrinking for years.

A 2005 law requires automobile fuel to contain ethanol. This year, about fifty billion liters of ethanol will be added to gasoline. Economists say ethanol is one reason the price of corn is three times what it was before 2005.

At Quad County Corn Processors in Iowa, plant manager Delayne Johnson says his ethanol plant is helping produce more of America's fuel at home.

DELAYNE JOHNSON: "As we have domestically produced products, we have less dependency on the Middle East, where we have obviously spent money trying to defend that area."