Food Shortages Herald "New Era Of Hunger"

As More Countries Suffer Riots Over Rising Prices And Shortages Of Staples, Aid Groups Call For Relief

(CBS/AP)  Historically high prices for basic foodstuffs - aggravated by the weak U.S. dollar, crop failures in many countries, competition by the ethanol industry and skyrocketing transportation costs - have increasingly plagued relief agencies. At the same time, food riots have broken out recently in Haiti, Egypt, and other countries.

It is in this climate that those whose job it is to feed the poorest of the world will come together to discuss global hunger at a three-day conference in the heart of the United States' grain-growing region.

Eventually, talk is expected to turn to one of the Bush Administration's more controversial food aid proposals: saving transportation and other costs by buying 25 percent of the commodities the United States sends abroad from other countries rather than U.S. growers.

Almost all of the food aid the U.S. currently sends elsewhere is bought from American producers, said Jay Sjerven, president of the U.N. Association's Kansas City chapter, with the U.S. providing more than half of the food aid that goes abroad in any given year.

Part of the reason for this long-standing commitment is the broad support among U.S. producers, processors and charitable organizations to do this work, Sjerven said. That coalition may not be sustained if U.S. commodities are not used.

"It is not a matter that people will all of a sudden decide food aid is not a good idea or that they feel this is something we shouldn't do. But the fact is you have to get these appropriations through Congress. And if you are going to promote these programs through Congress, you have to have people who are going to be agitating on behalf of those programs," he said.

"Who is going to do that if you don't have producer organizations that are knocking on congressmen's door and saying, 'We really have to do this not only because we have a self-interest in it, but because it is the right thing to do because people need food and it is in the national security interest of the United States that we provide it'?" Sjerven said.

Josette Sheeran, executive director of the United Nations World Food Program and one of the conference speakers, recently warned the world was entering "a new era of hunger."

The WFP, the world's largest humanitarian agency, cited rising food costs when it appealed last month to donor nations for an additional $500 million to avoid cutting rations to some of the world's poorest populations.

Commodities - particularly wheat, corn and soybeans - are at all-time highs, meaning farmers are making more off of their products than they did even just a year ago, said Larry Adams, deputy administrator of commodity administration at the Farm Service Agency.

"It is a good thing. But on the other hand, it makes it more difficult for those trying to buy food supplements for the hungry," Adams said. "Budgets don't go as far."

Aggravating the problem is the fact that food shortages have led a number of countries to either suspend new exports or raise export taxes to discourage them, Sjerven said.

"This year, all these debates are taking place against the backdrop of a really crippling advance in commodity prices," Sjerven said.

He also noted it will be three to six months before the world starts harvesting wheat again.

"So we have a long way to go before we have a new crop. Even if it is a record crop that people are projecting on a world level, we have a long way to go before any of that wheat starts getting into the bellies of people," he said.

[wardoglrs]

This isnt a result of higher prices its a result of INFLATION created by the central banks. The banks are the worst kind of cancer to a people like none other.
Americans are blind to this invisable hand of death.
Inflation kills its like the rest of the poor around the world they always get hammerd by the banks.

[mcv57]

Correction: when is went.

[mcv57]

Posted by ibsteve2u

I am not a Lib, I am righteous, God fearing man. I agree with you. The super rich elite when to Hilter to save their wealth. Who said that Republicans are Christians are a *** LIAR! Republicans are conservatives only to the end of keeping the Rich, RICH!

[missingamerica]

..to think past your the typical liberal "I" priority..if your future is threatened, FIGHT so the future for your children would be bright..

these bleeding heart liberals had and is still trying to save africa following the "I" mindset since the 1970s..well how did we progress with that?? in deeper sh*t than ever??

Posted by libsrweak at 03:00 PM : Apr 12, 2008

That is the most asinine thing I''ve seen a neocon say on CBS yet.

Liberals think "we" and "us" - it is the greedy, self-serving neocons and far-right Republicans who cannot see beyond "I" and "me".

That is why they don''t join the service - they don''t believe anybody would risk taking one to save them, because they surely wouldn''t run any risk to save anybody else.

lollll....that is also why the term "chickenhawk" is applied exclusively to neocons and far-right Republicans.

[mcv57]

Prices are getting so high, people aren''''t buying the foods they used to buy, they are economizing. There is no food shortage in America. Millions of Tons of the expensive food is thrown in the dumpsters behind the Supermarkets, EVERY SINGLE DAY!!

Posted by oledakota

Government''s term of "food storage" is not the same as what you assume it to be. The government fails to include their definition: Food Storage due to political and financial disrruption and imbalance (this involves political corruption, greed, and murdereous lust for power).

[hypnotoad72]

"fast food" should be a misnomer and that idiot clown wearing that pukey red and yellow prison outfit dragged into the streets for all to cheer. Everyone happy now?

[mediapreachr]

Blame the policy being pushed by the politicians-using corn to be processed for fuel instead of going on the market to feed people or cattle.
All this from people who did not spend a day on the bench of a university,who got their law degree online or their only prior experience was used car salesmen.

[newsterl]

"There is no food shortage in America. Millions of Tons of the expensive food is thrown in the dumpsters behind the Supermarkets, EVERY SINGLE DAY!!"

I find THAT difficult to believe, supermarkets are a fringe profit business, if they are discarding food its because its stale, fell on the floor, was contaminated somehow, went past its expiration date or the freezer/fridge failed.

Fast food and restaurants on the other hand waste enormous amounts to keep hot food ready for customers, if the burgers etc sit too long they get soggy or dry and no one wants that, so those get thrown out. The routinely put things on burgers and food that people discard- pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, garnishes, and then too much food on the plate means the remaining gets tossed- again that goes back to too many people!

[newsterl]

"How about allowing drilling in Anwar and off the coast of Florida?? That would help."
Xlib"

Not much, it wouldnt amount to a few percent of the whole, and that production would be eaten up and negated in a few years by the increasing POPULATION. The answer is eliminating all tax credits for breeding babies, then taxing the parents for the full costs for the kids they decide to have, that will discourage the ''oh it would be NICE to have 5 kids!'' types.
Cars got around 12 mpg in the 70''s, today they go 300% further on a gallon of gas but we import more oil than ever because in 1950 the US had 150 million and now its 305 million!
Every abortion or choice NOT to have a kid will go MUCH father towards solving all the problems than replacing your bulbs to save 15 watts, taking the bus one day a week to save a gallon of gas, recycling your silly plastic bags, or turning your heat down to 62

[newsterl]

" grain, used for cattle feed"

We squander about 9 pounds of food grade grain and thousands of gallons of water which is short in many areas already- to produce ONE pound of beef, we are stuffing the faces of millions of cattle to produce a product no one need- beef which as we see in the news more and more is causing increased outbreaks of ecoli and other illnesses from factory production for profit.

"Here in the US it would be nice if the governments, both state and fed, rolled back the horrendous taxes on fuel"

Not much, cause that money goes into roads, bridges and as you can see both are in poor condition, and thousands of bridges are in dire need of repair/replacement like the one in Minn that collapsed, but IRAQ is more important so the $ goes there.

"Also, did anyone really think taking a basic food source like corn and turning it into fuel is the answer??"

Those making the $ off it dont care, its another scam to fleece investors, w/o the tax subsidy it would fall flat on its face as it costs more to produce as well as uses fossil fuels to produce, there is no gain here. Ethanol also produces a lower MPG- about 10% less, whichmeans you have to buy and buy 10% MORE to drive the same miles.

[inventagod]

Gee, if Bu$h hadn''t blown his wad on oil, he could help out...
Oil well...

[libsrweak]

reading most of these post, it seems like a few already had given up..

[sharncedar]

China and India, with 2.5 billion people between them, have begun to vastly upgrade the quality and quantity of food of their citizens. They can out-bid the rest oft he world for food supplies using their huge amounts of American dollars and investment capital which has been given them by the American traitors (still unpunished).

[aztecdakota]

Prices are getting so high, people aren''t buying the foods they used to buy, they are economizing. There is no food shortage in America. Millions of Tons of the expensive food is thrown in the dumpsters behind the Supermarkets, EVERY SINGLE DAY!!

[sumarongi]

The truckers strike will not work. The independents will go under. Companies like Swift, JB Hunt, Old Dominion, and other major haulers will be put on notice by the government. It is one industry which they can''t do without. They wouldn''t let air traffic controllers go on strike. The government will step in to guarantee the supply lines.

[radiob-2009]

Posted by Sumarongi

I am well aware of how the rich and corporate America feel towards its citizens, their achilles heel is their wallet. Supporting and expanding the truckers call for a nationwide strike will inflict financial pain upon them. The entire logistics system of our nation has the power to end this.

[sumarongi]

What we need to do is institute changes in the electoral college, election financing to level the playing field, and strict term limits. We need to do these things from the municipal level to Washington.
We need to curtail big business in our government. We need to put a muzzle and leash on lobbyists. Until these things happen government will be BUSINESS as usual in America. It''s a shame that only the rich can afford to run for President and succeed. We need some common sense in government instead of the same old thing.

[xlib]

Here in the US it would be nice if the governments, both state and fed, rolled back the horrendous taxes on fuel. That would help for a starter.
Also, did anyone really think taking a basic food source like corn and turning it into fuel is the answer??
My God,how dumb can we be.
How about allowing drilling in Anwar and off the coast of Florida?? That would help. How about allowing the building of refineries, that would help.
To think that we can rid our dependence on oil overnight is silly, it can''t and won''t happen. We have to be proactive and it appears niether side of the aisle are willing to do that.

[sumarongi]

radiob

First you must believe that Corporate America, the real powers behind our government, are in favor of ending our oil dependency. They are NOT! They actually love the present situation. Defense contractors and oil companies are raking in record profits every month. They could care less about lower and middle class America. The real estate market is booming for the rich. They are buying up properties and companies at pennies on the dollar. We are talking about people who can buy gas at ten dollars a gallon and milk at fifty dollars a gallon all day long and twice on Sundays. They could care less if you end up on the street and starving. It''s in their basic makeup. They consider life a Monopoly game that they are winning. We need to get money into the hands of the poor and give trickle up economics a chance. The wealth would be evenly distributed in businesses all over the nation. It''s kind of obvious that trickle down economics failed. Most of the cash got bottlenecked at the top.

[grumpas]

WE''''LL ALL BE HUNGRY IN THIS COUNTRY TOO IF OBAMA

IS ELECTED BECAUSE THE MAN HAS NO IDEA HOW TO

RUN A COUNTRY.


Posted by truth-hurts

You think the bunch that''s in there (Bush and Company) have any remote idea how to run a country?????? Why do you think we are in such a mess????? And just wait until McBush gets in there. McCain knows even less. The ''spend and deficit'' Republican''s are taking us over the cliff. No responsible country is run the way we have been for 7 years now.