looming agricultural battle

As a growing number of countries contemplate mandating the use of bioethanol in petroleum (the UK announced in November 2005 that 5% of fuel sold by petrol stations would be from renewable sources by 2010), the conflict between food and non-food agriculture is going to heat up.

Farmers, unsurprisingly, see the trend as a lifeline for farms that are struggling. According to an article in BBC News, the UK's National Farmers' Union also claims that the UK produces 3 million tons of food surplus a year - enough to produce 5% bioethanol for the country. It's not clear from the article where that surplus goes right now, nor how it would be replaced if it were diverted for use as a fuel feedstock.