US farm group slams US-Brazil ethanol cooperation

President George W Bush’s plan to join hands with Brazil in boosting alternative fuels would deal a serious blow to American farmers, ranchers and taxpayers, a US farm group said on Friday.

Tom Buis, president of the National Farmers Union, which represents smaller US farm interests, warned that Bush’s proposal would redirect resources that could be used to feed a nascent boom in ethanol production at home.

“Using US taxpayer dollars to encourage new ethanol production in foreign countries will only directly compete with production right here at home,” Buis said in a statement.

“This agreement is the wrong step in the wrong direction at the wrong time,” he added.
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