Free Republic

The rapid expansion of biofuel production may be welcome news for environmentalists but for the world’s beer drinkers it could be a different story. Strong demand for biofuel feedstocks such as corn, soyabeans and rapeseed is encouraging farmers to plant these crops instead of grains like barley, driving up prices. Jean-François van Boxmeer, chief executive of Heineken the Dutch brewer, warned last week that the expansion of the biofuel sector was beginning to cause a “structural shift” in European and US agricultural markets. One consequence, he said, could be a long-term shift upwards in the price of beer. Barley and...

WASHINGTON - Roll over oats: Breakfast cereals and other foods that contain barley also will be able to start claiming they can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. The disease kills 500,000 Americans a year. Labels on whole barley and dry milled barley products, including flakes, grits, flour and meal, are expected to start making the claim, the Food and Drug Administration said Friday in announcing its ruling. The claim is identical to that already made on many oat products. The FDA estimates a quarter of the hot breakfast cereals, and another 5 percent of the cold cereals, sold...

QUESTION: Why does Gen. 42:25 refer to corn, when corn is a new world crop? Europeans did not know of its existence until the 16th Century. Surely that must be a mistranslation by the KJV translators, because the Jews would have not known about corn.