A dark side to the ethanol boom?

But as many economists have pointed out, part of the problem is that in some countries - the US among them - biofuels are heavily subsidized by the federal government. Mr. Reguly continues:

"Left on its own, the market in time would find a balance between food and fuel production. As it is, the billions in subsidies are encouraging a dramatic rise in biofuel production that would not otherwise occur. "This is partly why the UN food agencies are worried. Too much biofuel is coming to the market too quickly and the casualties might be the poor who can't afford the sharply rising food prices."