News and Notes - July 8, 2008

Feature Article

Who Ate My Tortillas? -- The Truth About Food vs. Fuel
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/josh-tickell/who-ate-my-tortillas----t_b_110827.html

This article presents a fairly balanced view of what is driving the price of food up, using the tortilla as an example. It drives home the point that corn and oil are dramatically linked in today’s society, thus affecting prices of a broad base of products. It also notes the impact corporations and speculators have on prices way before the product reaches the consumer. The article is drawn from a new documentary called “Fields of Fuel” to be released this fall.

US News

American Energy Policy, Asleep at the Spigot
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/06/business/06oil.html?_r=2&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&ref=business&adxnnlx=1215421579-JGS57z3GzLhVSc4ZRBZabw&oref=slogin

First Corn Based Ethanol Plant in Southeast Set To Open Soon (Georgia)
http://www.wctv.tv/home/headlines/24042874.html

Exxon and Chevron study new biofuels and shun food-based fuels
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/07/03/business/03bio.php

GIS tool available for potential Illinois plants
http://www.biodieselmagazine.com/article.jsp?article_id=2504

SequesCO combines CO2 sequestration with biofuel production
http://www.thestandard.com/news/2008/07/07/sequesco-combines-co2-sequestration-biofuel-production

Corn prices reach into most supermarket aisles
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/stlouiscitycounty/story/55E080198236ED0486257464001109E3?OpenDocument

Legendary oilman Pickens promotes revamping U.S. power policy
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/070808dnbusPickens.3fb918a.html

Ethanol business' effect on food prices is overblown
http://www.ktka.com/news/2008/jul/07/kstate_ag_today_ethanol_business_effect_food_price/

Biodiesel producers receive $16M subsidy, mandates
http://www.centralpennbusiness.com/article.asp?aID=67088

Hulshof defends ethanol mandate; contends Steelman is aligned with Chavez (MO Governor’s race)
http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/political-fix/political-fix/2008/07/hulsho-defends-ethanol-mandate-contends-steelman-is-aligned-with-chavez/

Abandoned Farmlands Are Key to Sustainable Bioenergy
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=52960

As soybean prices skyrocket, company finds new fuel sources (jatropha in Missouri)
http://www.farmandranchguide.com/articles/2008/07/03/ag_news/production_news/prods15.txt

Republican Buoyed By Calls For Energy Exploration
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/washington/politics-usa-energy-mcconnell.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=energy&st=nyt&oref=slogin

International News

$400 million UK wheat ethanol project on track despite British wobble on biofuels (BP and Dupont are involved)
http://biofuelsdigest.com/blog2/2008/07/08/400-million-uk-wheat-ethanol-project-on-track-despite-british-wobble-on-biofuels/

The Gallagher Review of the indirect effects of biofuels production now available (UK)
http://www.dft.gov.uk/rfa/_db/_documents/Report_of_the_Gallagher_review.pdf

Europeans Reconsider Biofuel Goal
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/08/business/worldbusiness/08fuel.html?_r=2&ref=business&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

Oil @200 is hot topic at G8 summit
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Oil_200_is_hot_topic_at_G-8_Summit/rssarticleshow/3208459.cms

Ethanol industry strikes back at C.D. Howe (Canada)
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fpposted/archive/2008/07/07/ethanol-industry-strikes-back-at-c-d-howe.aspx

Malaysia urges developing world to plant crops for food, not fuel
http://news.aol.com/story/_a/malaysia-urges-developing-world-to-plant/n20080708011109990005