FOOD FOR FUEL

"The U.S. will pay farmers to produce non-food crops that can be converted to fuels for planes, cars and power plants to reduce reliance on imported oil and boost rural economies, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said today.

The Agriculture Department will resume payments to farmers under the 2008 Biomass Crop Assistance Program for eligible perennial crops and work with the Federal Aviation Administration to develop aviation fuels from farm wastes, Vilsack said today at the National Press Club."
Bloomberg

Absolutely freaking brilliant. We're facing the very real possibility of a global food shortage and what do our overlords in Washington do? They incentivize farmers, using our money, to grow corn and other crops for fuel instead of food. Absolutely brilliant!

Here's an idea; call me crazy if you want. Get the federal government out of farming!!! Completely and totally. No more subsidies or directives. No more Dept. of Agriculture. Nothing. Let the farmers deal with their states and communities. Forget about feeding the world and concentrate on feeding their families and communities. Let the farmer decide what to plant based on demand, experience and best practices.

If the states want to set up a government agency to help farmers to be as efficient as possible and to maybe help to think in terms of long range goals for the state, fine. That's perfectly within the powers of the states. That and the states should have a much better feel for the needs and problems of the local farmers.

But get the fed out of the farming business. Otherwise we're going to end up with plenty of fuel to fly the airplanes but no passengers to put in them because we'll have all starved to death.

If the fed is so concerned about energy then forget ethanol and think nuclear. Proven, efficient technology that will not use our food to run it.