Vilsack Testifies on Biofuels

by Andy Eubank (USDA/Hoosier Ag Today) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently testified before a Senate committee on the effect and influence of biofuels. Testifying before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Vilsack responded to comments and questions about ethanol’s effect on food prices.
One comment was from New Jersey Democrat Senator Frank Lautenberg. "Using corn for fuel instead of food drives up prices for people already struggling to put food on the table."
Vilsack responded, “I would say that there are many reasons why there are food shortages globally, but none of them have to do with American farmers and ranchers in a sense that we continue to be extraordinarily productive. Storms, droughts, floods in other parts of the world, export controls that were imposed by other countries, the currency issues, there are a multitude of reasons why we have some of the shortages that we see today in other parts of the globe.” READ MORE (includes audio)