[thackney]

In Brazil the ethanol is from sugar cane if i remember correctly and it does not effect the food supply or food prices.

They don't use or export sugar in Brazil?

[Jersey Republican Biker Chick]

Yes they do, but it did not effect the food supply like the corn ethanol has in the US.

[maryz]

In Brazil the ethanol is from sugar cane if i remember correctly and it does not effect the food supply or food prices.
They don't use or export sugar in Brazil?

IIRC (when I was in 5th grade, someone brought in a few pieces of sugar cane to show the class -- 5th grade was a long time ago!), sugar cane is about an inch or so thick, and it's the inside that's refined into sugar. The outer woody (again IIRC) husk or rind or whatever I think is what Brazil makes into ethanol.

In any case, from what I read, sugar cane is a much better source for ethanol -- produces far more energy per pound (or whatever the appropriate measure is) than corn.