Global Food Prices
Why Did Global Food Prices Rise?
1. Farmers in the United States and in Europe benefit from government policies to promote the production of ethanol because they receive government subsidies to produce crops that can be turned into biofuels and it gives the farmers an incentive to plant crops such as corn and soybeans. However, this policy harms foreign producers of these foreign crops. Since U.S. and European farmers have subsidies, they have lower costs than the foreign farmers and the foreign farmers may struggle to compete. The high tariffs on imported sugar cane in the United States and Europe benefit the American and European farmers of corn and soybeans because since the price of sugar cane is higher, sugar cane farmers cannot compete with the other farmers. These farmers who produce crops such as soybeans and corn used to create biofuel benefit because the cost of producing these crops is lower than sugar. Thus, the American and European farmers of corn and soybeans benefit, while farmers of sugar cane, such as Brazilian farmers, are harmed because they cannot compete in the American and European market for biofuel because their prices are higher due to the tariffs. The environment is also harmed because the biofuel made out of sugar cane burns cleaner than ethanol made of corn or soybeans. 2. With the risk of the food supply in poorer nations being dramatically reduced, leading to malnourishment and starvation, rich countries should assist in preventing this phenomenon from happening. Rich countries could help lower the food prices by not giving subsidies to farmers who produce crops that are used to produce biofuels. Since the subsidy gives farmers incentives to farm crops such as corn and soybeans, it takes away resources and land to produce other crops used primarily for consumption. If countries stop giving subsidies for crops used to produce ethanol, more energy and resources can therefore be used to farm crops used primarily for food, such
1. Farmers in the United States and in Europe benefit from government policies to promote the production of ethanol because they receive government subsidies to produce crops that can be turned into biofuels and it gives the farmers an incentive to plant crops such as corn and soybeans. However, this policy harms foreign producers of these foreign crops. Since U.S. and European farmers have subsidies, they have lower costs than the foreign farmers and the foreign farmers may struggle to compete. The high tariffs on imported sugar cane in the United States and Europe benefit the American and European farmers of corn and soybeans because since the price of sugar cane is higher, sugar cane farmers cannot compete with the other farmers. These farmers who produce crops such as soybeans and corn used to create biofuel benefit because the cost of producing these crops is lower than sugar. Thus, the American and European farmers of corn and soybeans benefit, while farmers of sugar cane, such as Brazilian farmers, are harmed because they cannot compete in the American and European market for biofuel because their prices are higher due to the tariffs. The environment is also harmed because the biofuel made out of sugar cane burns cleaner than ethanol made of corn or soybeans. 2. With the risk of the food supply in poorer nations being dramatically reduced, leading to malnourishment and starvation, rich countries should assist in preventing this phenomenon from happening. Rich countries could help lower the food prices by not giving subsidies to farmers who produce crops that are used to produce biofuels. Since the subsidy gives farmers incentives to farm crops such as corn and soybeans, it takes away resources and land to produce other crops used primarily for consumption. If countries stop giving subsidies for crops used to produce ethanol, more energy and resources can therefore be used to farm crops used primarily for food, such