Locally known as ‘pinon’ the shrub Jatropha grows in Mexico without much special care, as it is a weed. Mexican farmers want to grow these commercially, after the increasing demand of biofuel. Its oil rich seeds are being eyed as attractive feed stock for biofuel since the poisonous plant does not compete with the local food crops. Mexico passed a law last year to push developing biofuels that don't threaten food security and the agriculture ministry has since identified some 2.6 million hectares (6.4 million acres) of land with a high potential to produce jatropha.

Natural latex from a desert shrub called guayule makes high-quality gloves, medical devices, and other in-demand natural rubber products. It  also is an economical, environmentally friendly source of energy. The Agricultural Research Service reports that Guayule offers many biofuel benefits, as it is not a food or feed crop, hence using it for energy production will not compete with those uses. It also thrives in hot dry ecosystems where many other biofuel crops don’t grow well.

A study entitled ‘Biofuels and Food Security- Implications of an Accelerated Biofuels Production’ by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) was released on March 18^, 2009 at the fourth international OPEC seminar. It states that the use of first generation biofuels will increase food insecurity in the world’s poorest countries and is unlikely to deliver any significant greenhouse gas mitigation for at least 30 years. The study reviews the global status of biofuel development, policy regimes, support measures and quantifies the agro-ecological potential of first-and second-generation biofuel crops. It presents a comprehensive evaluation of the social, environmental and economic implications of biofuel development on transport fuel security, greenhouse gas emissions, agricultural prices, food security, land use change and sustainable agricultural development.

The plan to create more energy-independent communities by using jatropha methyl ester (JME) in diesel for the Philippines’ poorest rural areas may be realized before the end of this year, according to Rafael Coscolluela, vice chairman of the government-run National Biofuels Board (NBB). JME diesel can fuel cooking stoves and power small-town generators, as well as farming equipment and vehicles like tractors and pumps that run on diesel engines. “If diesel fuel from jatropha is produced in the rural areas for local consumption, just imagine how much you’re saving in terms of transportation costs alone,” said the chief of the NBB, which oversees the Philippines biofuel program.   

"The production of ethanol from corn in the U.S. is a disaster in terms of fertilizer flowing down the Mississippi River," says Cornell University environmental biologist Robert Howarth, chair of the International SCOPE Biofuels Project. Corn has proved to be a troublesome biofuel source, particularly from a nitrogen standpoint. The typical corn-growing practice involves  high doses of fertilizer, which  leads to  environmental damage. Moreover, it  takes up nitrogen and other nutrients for 60 days  of the year. Other crops such as soybean and wheat have deeper roots that are active longer. But the rising price of corn has encouraged farmers to grow more of this "nitrogen leaky" grain. Land set aside for conservation purposes as well as some active soybean and wheat fields are being converted back to active corn cultivation.