a little statistic.... [Added April, 29, 2008]

According to an article by Ford C. Runge and Benjamin Seneuar, the USA now burns annually the corn-based biofuel equivalent of the food needs of the 82 poorest countries in the world.  Seems logical.  Not.

In a nutshell:

'Biofuels may have even more devastating effects in the rest of the world, especially on the prices of basic foods. If oil prices remain high -- which is likely -- the people most vulnerable to the price hikes brought on by the biofuel boom will be those in countries that both suffer food deficits and import petroleum. The risk extends to a large part of the developing world: in 2005, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, most of the 82 low-income countries with food deficits were also net oil importers.'