The Economics of Biofuel Policies: Impacts on Price Volatility in Grain and Oilseed Markets (Palgrave Studies in Agricultural Economics and Food Policy)

The global food crises of 2008 and 2010 and the increased price volatility revolve around biofuels policies and their interaction with each other, farm policies and between countries. While a certain degree of research has been conducted on biofuel efficacy and logistics, there is currently no book on the market devoted to the economics of biofuel policies. This book focuses on the role of biofuel policies in creating turmoil in the world grains and oilseed markets since 2006. This new volume is the first to put together theory and empirical evidence of how biofuel policies created a link between crop (food grains and oilseeds) and biofuel (ethanol and biodiesel) prices. This combined with biofuel policies role in affecting the link between biofuels and energy (gasoline, diesel and crude oil) prices will form the basis to show how alternative US, EU, and Brazilian biofuel policies have immense impacts on the level and volatility of food grain and oilseed prices. "Confused about the reasons for recent spikes in food prices and their continued volatility? Are droughts and floods the problem? New financial speculation made possible by commodity index funds and derivatives? Perhaps bio-fuel policies, which seemed so promising in the early 2000s when cereal prices were at historic lows, but which are now thought by some to be a serious threat to food security. This book provides the answers with an innovative analytical model of food price formation and the detailed institutional and market empirics needed to clarify the cacophony of messages from a very confused and inward looking agricultural economics profession. Bio-fuel policies are indeed the problem." - Peter Timmer, Thomas D. Cabot Professor of Development Studies, Emeritus, Harvard University, USA"De Gorter, Drabik, and Just have produced a remarkable book that identifies the key role biofuel support policies play in the dynamics of grain and oilseed prices. This time was different, they conclude, in a refreshing new look at what has roiled agricultural commodity markets in recent years. The thesis is plausible, its articulation deliberately provocative, and some of the conclusions tantalizing. This timely book is a must-read for all economists and policy makers interested in this controversial subject." - GianCarlo Moschini, Professor and Pioneer Chair, Department of Economics, Iowa State University, USA"Biofuel policies in the new Millennium have altered the economics of agricultural commodity and energy markets. This well-written and informative book provides unique insights into the workings of the biofuels sectors of the United States, Europe and Brazil. The authors present a penetrating economic analysis essential for understanding the implications and limitations of the biofuel revolution. It is a must-read for students of the bioeconomy." - David Zilberman, Professor and Robinson Chair, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of California - Berkeley, USA "The past decade has transformed the discussions on agriculture, public policies and food security. A key and highly controversial issue was the role that biofuels played in the spike and volatility of global food prices. This book makes a unique contribution by providing a carefully documented economic history of biofuel policies and food prices over the past decade and by developing new models and an elaborate economic analysis to understand the relationship between food and fuel - which will continue to be of great importance in the years to come. It is a must read for anybody interested in agriculture, energy and food security - and of great use for policy-makers, researchers, and academic classrooms." - Jo Swinnen, Professor, Faculty of Economics and Business; Director, LICOS Centre for Institutions and Economic Performance, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium Front Matter....Pages i-xxx Introduction....Pages 1-7 How Biofuel Policies Ushered in the New Era of High and Volatile Grain and Oilseed Prices....Pages 9-22 The Economics of Biofuel Policies: The Theory of Corn-Ethanol and Ethanol-Gasoline Price Links....Pages 23-45 Measures of Biofuel Policy Impact on Food Commodity Prices....Pages 47-66 A Forensic Analysis of the Food Commodity Price Boom of 2008....Pages 67-84 A Critique of the Literature Analyzing Biofuel Policy and the 2008 Food Commodity Price Boom....Pages 85-108 The Economics of Developing Country Policy Responses and Biofuel Policies....Pages 109-119 An Enhanced Exposition of the Corn-Ethanol-Energy Price Linkages and Implications for Time Series Analysis of Biofuel Policy Impacts....Pages 121-135 The Impact of Biofuel Policies on Food Commodity Price Volatility....Pages 137-150 The Economics of Biodiesel and the Central Role of the European Union’s Policies....Pages 151-169 The Complex Structure of the US Biofuel Mandate: A Handbook....Pages 171-190 The Economics of Brazil’s Sugarcane-Ethanol/Sugar Complex and Policies....Pages 191-206 The Interaction Effects Among Biofuels, Policies, and Countries....Pages 207-220 The Impact of Biofuel Policies in the Future: Some Concluding Remarks....Pages 221-231 Back Matter....Pages 233-282 The Economics of Biofuel Policies focuses on the role of biofuel policies in creating turmoil in the world grains and oilseed markets since 2006. The global food crises of 2008 and 2010 and the increased price volatility revolve around biofuels policies and their interaction with each other, farm policies and between countries. While a certain degree of research has been conducted on biofuel efficacy and logistics, there is currently no book on the market devoted to the economics of biofuel policies. The Economics of Biofuel Policies focuses on the role of biofuel policies in creating turmoil in the world grains and oilseed markets since 2006. This new volume is the first to put together theory and empirical evidence of how biofuel policies created a link between crop (food grains and oilseeds) and biofuel (ethanol and biodiesel) prices. This combined with biofuel policies role in affecting the link between biofuels and energy (gasoline, diesel and crude oil) prices will form the basis to show how alternative US, EU, and Brazilian biofuel policies have immense impacts on the level and volatility of food grain and oilseed prices The global food crises of 2008 and 2010 and the increased price volatility revolve around biofuels policies and their interaction with each other, farm policies and between countries. While a certain degree of research has been conducted on biofuel efficacy and logistics, there is currently no book on the market devoted to the economics of biofuel policies. The Economics of Biofuel Policies focuses on the role of biofuel policies in creating turmoil in the world grains and oilseed markets since 2006. This volume is the first to put together theory and empirical evidence of how biofuel policies created a link between crop (food grains and oilseeds) and biofuel (ethanol and biodiesel) prices. This combined with biofuel policies role in affecting the link between biofuels and energy (gasoline, diesel and crude oil) prices will form the basis to show how alternative US, EU, and Brazilian biofuel policies have immense impacts on the level and volatility of food grain and oilseed prices -- Adapted from publisher description