VOA慢速英語:US Drought Renews Debate on Biofuel

This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.

這里是美國之音慢速英語農(nóng)業(yè)報(bào)道。

American officials have sharply reduced their expectations for this year's corn and soybean crops. Farmers in the Midwest are struggling with record heat and the worst drought in many years.

美國官員已經(jīng)大幅降低他們對今年玉米和大豆作物的期望。美國中西部農(nóng)民正與創(chuàng)紀(jì)錄的高溫以及多年來最為嚴(yán)重的旱災(zāi)做抗?fàn)帯?/p>

The United States is the world's largest producer of corn and soybeans. Last Friday the Agriculture Department predicted that corn production would total 10.8 billion bushels this year. That was down seventeen percent from a prediction made just a month ago. And it was down thirteen percent from last year's level. The average yield per hectare could be the lowest in seventeen years.

美國是全球最大的玉米和大豆生產(chǎn)國。上周五，美國農(nóng)業(yè)部預(yù)測，今年美國玉米產(chǎn)量將達(dá)到108億蒲式耳(谷物計(jì)量單位)。這與僅僅一個(gè)月前的預(yù)測相比下降了17%。與去年的產(chǎn)量水平相比下降了13%。每公頃產(chǎn)量可能是17年以來新低。

At the same time, the government predicted that soybean production would be twelve percent lower than last year.

同時(shí)，政府預(yù)計(jì)大豆產(chǎn)量將比去年低12%。

The price of maize, which Americans call corn, has hit record levels. Corn is a major part of animal feed, so the price of meat, milk and eggs is also expected to climb.

玉米價(jià)格已經(jīng)達(dá)到了創(chuàng)紀(jì)錄的水平。玉米是動物飼料的主要組成部分，因此，肉類、牛奶和雞蛋價(jià)格也有望攀升。

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization says average food prices worldwide rose six percent in July. The American drought was a big reason. Gawain Kripke is a food price expert with the anti-hunger group Oxfam America.

聯(lián)合國糧農(nóng)組織表示，7月份全球平均食品價(jià)格上漲了6%，美國的干旱是一個(gè)很大的原因。高文·克里普克(Gawain Kripke)是反饑餓組織美國樂施會(Oxfam America)的一名食品價(jià)格專家。

GAWAIN KRIPKE: "Because the U.S. is such a massive food producer and food exporter, the impacts of a drought in the United States are likely to trickle out all around the world."

克里普克：“因?yàn)槊绹侨绱酥匾氖称飞a(chǎn)國和出口國，美國干旱的影響可能會滲透到世界各地。”

The situation has renewed the fight between food and fuel. About forty percent of the nation's corn crop goes into making ethanol. The production process leaves some of that in a form that can be fed to animals. Still, at least one-fourth of the American corn crop is now made into fuel.

這一形勢已經(jīng)重啟食品與燃料之間的斗爭。全美國大約40%的玉米產(chǎn)量被用來制造乙醇。乙醇生產(chǎn)過程會剩下一些可供喂養(yǎng)動物的東西。然而，至少1/4的美國玉米產(chǎn)量如今被制成了燃料。

The United States requires that part of its corn crop be used in the production of biofuels. The use of ethanol has grown as government requirements have increased. But the head of the FAO, writing in the Financial Times, called for "an immediate, temporary suspension" of that requirement. Jose Graziano da Silva said more of the American corn production could then be used as food or to feed animals.

美國要求這一部分玉米產(chǎn)量用于生產(chǎn)生物燃料。使用乙醇已成為政府強(qiáng)制要求并有所增強(qiáng)。但糧農(nóng)組織負(fù)責(zé)人何塞·格拉齊亞諾·達(dá)·席爾瓦(Jose Graziano da Silva)在《金融時(shí)報(bào)》上撰文呼吁“立即暫時(shí)中止”這一政府強(qiáng)制要求。席爾瓦表示，這樣更多美國的玉米產(chǎn)量就能用于食品或飼養(yǎng)牲畜。

The American livestock industry is also urging Congress to suspend the law that requires ethanol in gasoline. But corn farmer Alan Bennett says doing that would hurt his town.

美國畜牧行業(yè)也督促國會暫停要求在汽油中添加乙醇的法律。但種植玉米的農(nóng)民艾倫·班尼特(Alan Bennett)表示，這樣做會傷害他所在的鎮(zhèn)子。

ALAN BENNETT: "It could bankrupt the ethanol plant. It is a huge deal. This country relies on ethanol for ten percent of its fuel supply. Ethanol is good for America."

班尼特：“這可能會使乙醇工廠破產(chǎn)。這是件大事。美國10%的燃料供應(yīng)依賴于乙醇。乙醇對美國有利。”

A two thousand five law requires automobile fuel to contain ethanol. The growth of the ethanol industry and competition for corn have been helping parts of rural America that had been shrinking for years.

2005年實(shí)行的一項(xiàng)法律要求汽車燃料中含有乙醇。乙醇行業(yè)的增長及其對玉米的競爭對此前多年來一直萎縮的部分美國農(nóng)村地區(qū)有所幫助。