The World Food Crisis

From The Nation: The World Food Crisis.

the cure for what ails the global food system--and an unsteady US farm economy--is not more of the same globalization and genetic gimmickry. That way has left thirty-seven nations with food crises while global grain giant Cargill harvests an 86 percent rise in profits and Monsanto reaps record sales from its herbicides and seeds. For years, corporations have promised farmers that problems would be solved by trade deals and technology--especially GM seeds, which University of Kansas research now suggests reduce food production and the International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development says won't end global hunger.

The solution, according to this article?

Instead of telling farmers they're wrong to seek the best prices for their crops, (ed. note - by growing grain for ethanol instead of food) Congress should make sure that farmers can count on good prices for growing the food Americans need. It can do this by providing a strong safety net to survive weather and market disasters and a strategic grain reserve similar to the strategic petroleum reserve to guard against food-price inflation.

Congress should also embrace trade and development policies that help developing countries regulate markets with an eye to feeding the hungry rather than feeding corporate profits.

The U.S. Government designs policies to favor somebody; so far it has favored big Agriculture. Call it corporate welfare. Meanwhile, regular farmers go hungry, decent, locally grown food becomes a product for the elite in America, and the poor across the world starve to death. Change the rules to support small local farmers and produce for the people.

It goes back to the Dove's old theme: local food in season is part of the bigger solution to what ails us: environmental crisis, energy shortages, economic woes.

Hat tip Rami Zurayk at Land and People.