Soaring Food Prices

[roni]

As Prices Soar, U.S. Food Aid Buys Less

By CELIA W. DUGGER
Published: September 29, 2007

Soaring food prices, driven in part by demand for ethanol made from corn, have helped slash the amount of food aid the government buys to its lowest level in a decade, possibly resulting in more hungry people around the world this year.

The United States, the world’s dominant donor, has purchased less than half the amount of food aid this year that it did in 2000, according to new data from the Department of Agriculture.

Whole article here

My comment and question:

These soaring food prices not only affect international aid programs, but will also affect the ability of billions to provide a nutrionally adequate diet for themselves and their families

Mexico has had some unrest reported in the past year over the cost of tortillas. It is possible that continued increases in food costs could threaten the stability of governments.

Are there solutions?

[sctx]

Originally Posted by roni

Are there solutions?[/b] [/size]

expose the idea that the production and use of ethanol is a positive move towards reducing greenhouse emmissions as a farce and will only result in the increase in cost of my tequila???

[Jacko]

Originally Posted by sctx

expose the idea that the production and use of ethanol is a positive move towards reducing greenhouse emmissions as a farce and will only result in the increase in cost of my tequila???

corn ethanol bad....causing increase in agave pricing and net negative carbon reduction and energy savings.
cellulosic ethanol good.....causing decrease in agave pricing and net POSITIVE carbon reduction and energy savings.

[BonnyW]

Corn lobby is going strong...

For example: At orientation we were given a coffee cup that is made from corn. You can't wash it in the dishwasher or put it in the microwave. Instead of sending it to the landfill, I have decided that I am going to put a plant in it and continue to drink coffee from one of my (ceramic) mud cups.

So, anyway, I am going to bring up a different point...
The article doesn't mention that half the corn grown here in the US is for livestock. So, go meatless one day (or more) a week. That would be my suggestion.

[Susie Q Roo]

Neither here nor there, but one can hope that all this diversion of corn will reduce the production and use of high fructose corn syrup and result in a less obese populace.

[jsotherj]

Originally Posted by roni

Are there solutions?

By Apple stock so you can afford the higher prices.

[sctx]

Originally Posted by Jacko

corn ethanol bad....causing increase in agave pricing and net negative carbon reduction and energy savings.
cellulosic ethanol good.....causing decrease in agave pricing and net POSITIVE carbon reduction and energy savings.

Roni didn't mention anything about eating cellulose......tatses like crap if'n you ask me

[Jacko]

Originally Posted by sctx

Roni didn't mention anything about eating cellulose......tatses like crap if'n you ask me

You don't eat it! ...........You smoke it!

[sctx]

Originally Posted by Jacko

You don't eat it! ...........You smoke it!

don't tempt me,I'm jonesin pretty bad today

[BonnyW]

Originally Posted by Susie Q Roo

Neither here nor there, but one can hope that all this diversion of corn will reduce the production and use of high fructose corn syrup and result in a less obese populace.

HFCS seems to play a role in soft drink consumption in obese children. But most nutrition professionals will agree that is the combination of possible depression, less exercise (or no exercise) & the type of diet (diet=foods that are usually consumed) such as high sugar (including HFCS), high fat, and consequently high calories that really increase risk.

[BonnyW]

Originally Posted by sctx

Roni didn't mention anything about eating cellulose......tastes like crap if'n you ask me

Pure cellulose would be nasty...akin to eating crabgrass...
I like cellulose along with hemicellulose, inulin, and those fruits and vegetables that seem to contain those things.

All that fiber does help one crap better.

[ami]

Originally Posted by BonnyW

HFCS seems to play a role in soft drink consumption in obese children. But most nutrition professionals will agree that is the combination of possible depression, less exercise (or no exercise) & the type of diet (diet=foods that are usually consumed) such as high sugar (including HFCS), high fat, and consequently high calories that really increase risk.

High sugar consumption (soft drinks) and frequent consumption of empty calories usual translates into childhood obesity. I blame the parents....and lack of education.....it's sad

[Seakony]

wheat prices has gone up too due to droughts..resulting in higher prices. It was on the news last night.

[Susie Q Roo]

Originally Posted by BonnyW

HFCS seems to play a role in soft drink consumption in obese children. But most nutrition professionals will agree that is the combination of possible depression, less exercise (or no exercise) & the type of diet (diet=foods that are usually consumed) such as high sugar (including HFCS), high fat, and consequently high calories that really increase risk.

But perhaps if the cost of HFCS went up, the cost of foods sweetened with it would go up (sugar is already substantially higher-priced) and maybe that would put a damper on the consumption of all these sweetened "junk food" products. Other than beverages, most things that are high sugar are also high in fat, would you agree? Or, if they are low-fat, the additional sugar to make them more palatable overrides the lack of fat.

As to the depression, I think the type of food one consumes contributes to mental health as well as physical health. Whoever said, "You are what you eat," had it right, all those years ago.

It's my personal opinion that if you substitute these so-called "empty" calories with more nutrient-dense ones, you'll feel more like moving your body as well - both children AND adults. (But I'm no nutrition expert beyond anecdotal evidence.)

[Just Lucky]

This article from Amy Barry at Oxfam has some interesting insights :

In the face of rising public concern about global warming, biofuels appear to offer a magic solution. Keep growing, keep driving, keep flying - but do so in a more sustainable way that allows you to keep your conscience clean.
It sounds attractive, but there are some concerns to be thought through before we all jump on the ethanol-fuelled bandwagon. The rush for greener fuel has already pushed some commodity prices up, with a direct impact on the affordability of food in developing countries. In Mexico earlier this year, there were riots in the street because people couldn't afford their tortillas. The maize used to make them was in demand to help power SUVs across the border, and therefore cost more than usual.
A sharp increase in production of biofuels could also cause more rural poverty as small farmers are dispossessed - as is happening in Indonesia as a result of palm oil production. It could lead to deforestation, loss of biodiversity, and human rights abuses. These are all potential results of over-intensive agriculture, which development organisations and environmental campaigners have been warning about for years. Moreover, because biofuels may come at the expense of natural carbon sinks such as rainforest or peatland, they may actually increase overall carbon emissions.
It would be ironic indeed if an apparently magic bullet actually started making things worse

More of the article can be found here:Comment is free: How to avoid fuelling trouble

Back in 2003 Oxfam did a study of the corn crisis in Mexico. There is a summary here:Oxfam International - US farm subsidies fuel Mexico corn crisis. Oxfam calls to change rigged trade rules that are hurting the poor.

The entire paper is here:http://www.oxfam.org/en/files/pp030827_corn_dumping.pdf