Let Them Eat Flan

American Public Radio’s Marketplace Morning Report has yet another report today on how U.S. demand for corn to make into ethanol is causing a disruption to the food supply in countries like Mexico.

Corn prices have risen 300% is recent months, putting the squeeze on millions of poor Mexicans who depend on tortillas as a dietary staple. The government has attempted to cap prices, but we know how well price controls on high-demand commodities generally work out. One wonders how many families in the developing world will have to go hungry before the ethanol mandate crown begins to have second thoughts about gouging corn prices.