In the US, Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama has said the US will not be able to ignore global suffering from a food crisis.

Obama said the US should be "mindful" of the effect its own search for alternative fuel sources is having and should slowly move away from maize-based fuel production that has shared the blame for surging food prices.

He said that maize-based ethanol, which is heavily subsidised in Obama's home state of Illinois, was a technology that should soon make way for other alternatives.

"We're going to have to shift to cellulosic ethanol, using biomass that is not part of the food chain," he said. "And that's going to require some time."

The production of bio-fuels in industrial nations has been widely blamed for the sharp rises in the price of maize, wheat, soya and other food staples.

More than 30 countries have been threatened with food riots and starvation in the face of high food costs. Aid agencies have called for more than US$700 million to meet increased demand.

__________________
Drill offshore now

And why shouldn't he? Feeding people is the first priority in any nation.

__________________
I'm British, intelligent, erudite, and witty. Can't handle it? Get thee to goatse!

DUH, people like Obama forced oil companies to use ethanol, after Billion$$$ were spent on R&D, lawsuits and stupid Federal laws.
It's obvious, there must be several sources of energy.
Environmentalists and Democrats are raping Americans for Corporate profits

__________________
Drill offshore now

Clueless shitheads like you have kept us addicted to oil far longer than necessary....then blame those that have been calling for change for decades.

Hypocrisy like yours is just so fucking easy to see.

You're just a fucking idiotic partisan troll with NOTHING worthwhile to contribute to this forum.

heres a clue for you Crank, about 20% of our oil consumption is for transportation and the rest home heating and industry, yet the left side blames cars for our problem with energy.Long term "alternative fuels"short
term "drill for oil now and build the refineries that dems keep blocking"
Im sure you wont like paying $6-7 per gallon if we dont look to the now
for temporary solutions Wake up!