A new report from Oxfam raises concerns about the potential effects of unmitigated commodity speculation, escalating oil prices, underinvestment in agriculture technology and climate change on future world food supplies. But according to Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob Dinneen – the report misses the mark when it makes unsupported claims about the effect of biofuels on global food supplies.

Dinneen says American ethanol production has helped spur needed investment and research into dramatic advances in farming technology that have allowed U.S. farmers to double their production on the same amount of land from a generation ago. RFA believes the same opportunities at varying scales are available to farm communities in developing nations.

According to RFA – global hunger issues have long existed – fueled by inept and too often corrupt food aid programs, rampant food waste, commodity speculation and volatile energy prices. Dinneen says narrowing the focus to isolate one aspect – such as biofuel production – without addressing the dangers posed by a growing dependence on petroleum – will continue to have us chasing our tail.