Model estimates food-versus-biofuel trade-off

Biofuels have been criticized for raising food prices and reducing food production. While biofuels have rightly been blamed for contributing to reduced food security at a time of record-high food prices in 2008, they have not been credited with reducing the cost of gasolin...

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Main Authors: Deepak Rajagopal, Steven Sexton, Gal Hochman, David Roland-Holst, David Zilberman
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources 2009-10-01
Series:California Agriculture
Online Access:http://calag.ucanr.edu/archive/?article=ca.v063n04p199
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spelling doaj-56ef733705d04b0b94cf9729098d76a92020-11-24T22:06:27ZengUniversity of California Agriculture and Natural ResourcesCalifornia Agriculture0008-08452160-80912009-10-0163419920110.3733/ca.v063n04p19910.3733/cav063n04_9Model estimates food-versus-biofuel trade-offDeepak Rajagopal0Steven Sexton1Gal Hochman2David Roland-Holst3David Zilberman4D. Rajagopal is Ph.D. Candidate, Energy Resources Group, UC BerkeleyS. Sexton is Ph.D. Student, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, UC BerkeleyG. Hochman is Visiting Scholar, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, UC BerkeleyD. Roland-Holst is Professor, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, UC BerkeleyD. Zilberman is Professor, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, UC BerkeleyBiofuels have been criticized for raising food prices and reducing food production. While biofuels have rightly been blamed for contributing to reduced food security at a time of record-high food prices in 2008, they have not been credited with reducing the cost of gasoline, also at a time of record-high prices. We discuss the food-versus-biofuel trade-off associated with biofuel production and model the effects of biofuel production in markets for key crops and gasoline, showing that food consumers lose from biofuels but gasoline consumers enjoy substantial benefits. We also suggest ways to address the food-versus-biofuel debate.http://calag.ucanr.edu/archive/?article=ca.v063n04p199
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Deepak Rajagopal
Steven Sexton
Gal Hochman
David Roland-Holst
David Zilberman
spellingShingle Deepak Rajagopal
Steven Sexton
Gal Hochman
David Roland-Holst
David Zilberman
Model estimates food-versus-biofuel trade-off
California Agriculture
author_facet Deepak Rajagopal
Steven Sexton
Gal Hochman
David Roland-Holst
David Zilberman
author_sort Deepak Rajagopal
title Model estimates food-versus-biofuel trade-off
title_short Model estimates food-versus-biofuel trade-off
title_full Model estimates food-versus-biofuel trade-off
title_fullStr Model estimates food-versus-biofuel trade-off
title_full_unstemmed Model estimates food-versus-biofuel trade-off
title_sort model estimates food-versus-biofuel trade-off
publisher University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources
series California Agriculture
issn 0008-0845
2160-8091
publishDate 2009-10-01
description Biofuels have been criticized for raising food prices and reducing food production. While biofuels have rightly been blamed for contributing to reduced food security at a time of record-high food prices in 2008, they have not been credited with reducing the cost of gasoline, also at a time of record-high prices. We discuss the food-versus-biofuel trade-off associated with biofuel production and model the effects of biofuel production in markets for key crops and gasoline, showing that food consumers lose from biofuels but gasoline consumers enjoy substantial benefits. We also suggest ways to address the food-versus-biofuel debate.
url http://calag.ucanr.edu/archive/?article=ca.v063n04p199
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AT stevensexton modelestimatesfoodversusbiofueltradeoff
AT galhochman modelestimatesfoodversusbiofueltradeoff
AT davidrolandholst modelestimatesfoodversusbiofueltradeoff
AT davidzilberman modelestimatesfoodversusbiofueltradeoff
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