The Food Pyramid is officially retires, here are the latest dietary guidelines from the USDA in their new shape of a plate.
Tag Archives: food policy
Facing the Food Challenge with Consensus
Food prices and shortages are rising around the world and this trend is expected to continue. A broken and defective food system that is wasteful and out of reach for many, will be further stressed by the impact of climate change and rising population. How can we deal with this crisis? As an earlier post pointed out, the world can choose between consensus or conflict to resolve this issue.
It would seem that some countries have already made their choice: China and Saudi Arabia among others are investing in farmland in Africa and now Brazil in order to secure food security for their citizens. This will only serve to enhance conflict. Starving people cannot be expected to respect borders, wherever there is plenty , conflict will follow. It would be in the interest of all to approach this in a way that is thoughtful and just. This problem can be interpreted as an opportunity to fix the broken food system at home and also at the global level. The 2012 farm Bill needs to ensure that citizens at home are not deprived of access to food produces in their own country by others who seek to bypass the market system here. Lester Brown’s article explains how South Korean buyers are establishing direct contacts with farmers and buying up grain before it even reaches the market. Globally, countries and their governments must come together to respond to this challenge in a timely and effective way. The political will to make big changes and go in a different direction is always. We can support positive measures by keeping ourselves informed, making our voice heard by approaching our representatives and making good choices in our daily lives.
Posted in Climate Change, Food Policy, Food Security, Price Rise
Tagged climate change, food policy, food security, Price Rise
Food Friction
We are just now waking up to a new world, one in which conflicts will revolve around food: this is Lester Brown’s analysis in Foreign Policy magazine this month. The causes for this crisis are not just the old ones of rising population, lack of access, scarce resources, or vagaries of the weather which constrain supply and cause food inflation. To these, we now have to add, the diversion of grain from food to fuel, disappearing aquifers and desertification, leading to countries becoming unable to feed their people and of course, the elephant in the room, climate change. It is estimated that for a 1 degree Celsius rise in temperature, crop yields drop by 10 percent. In another article, Frederick Kaufman addresses the role of speculation in fueling the rise in food prices.
How is the world reacting to this? In the post World War II era, the world was rebuilt by coöperation, through the setting up of institutions (UN, FAO, World Bank, IMF) that were supposed to work in the interest of the common good. Today, however, countries are intent solely on pursuing their parochial interests. Some like China and Saudi Arabia are leasing or buying land in Africa for their own projects. (That this land is essential for the food security of the people living there is of obvious concern). South Korea is setting up a system of buying grain directly from US farmers so a part of the produce would be diverted before it ever enters the market.
This is not about the future, this war is here and now: we have to address the issue of climate change in a constructive way, we have to restructure our food world: from industrial size operations to mid and small size farms, from destructive techniques to nurturing agroecology practices, and personally to a healthier (smaller portions, less meat, more seasonal) diet.
Posted in Food Policy, Food Security, Green, Price Rise
Tagged food policy, food security, Green, Price Rise
The GM Debate
For those who might be interested in informing themselves on the GM debate, a scientific perspective that addresses concerns on biosafety, biodiversity, and intellectual property among other things.
Posted in Food Policy, Food Safety, Food Security, Nutrition
Tagged food policy, food safety, food security, nutrition
Food Impossible
It is forecast that by the year 2050 there will be 9 billion people on the planet. How will they all be fed? It depends on who is asked the question, but the fact remains that a crisis is growing. On the demand side, the increase in population means that there is an ever increasing demand for food. As countries make economic progress, consumers in those countries move into higher income brackets and demand a higher proportion of meat in their diet. This leads to the diversion of resources in the agricultural sector from food to feed production and raising animals for meat also leaves a bigger carbon imprint contributing to global warming. Even without this, we have to contend with the fact that drier, warmer weather are going to have an adverse impact on crops. So, where should we direct out efforts?
One of the positive effects of economic progress is that increased incomes and standards of living lead to smaller families and some experts feel that the population growth rate will not be as high as projected. Others argue that the problem is not one of production, we already produce enough food, but one of access. Increased incomes should provide increased access but if this leads to a demand for a meat based diet then that would be unsustainable for the planet.
So much for the factors behind the crisis. To get back to the original question: how do we feed so many people? There are those who would vote for a more widespread adoption of organic/sustainable methods which would also help heal the badly battered planet while others see a huge potential in biotechnology which can provide drought resistant crops, increased yield and also the possibility of better health outcomes (for example, golden rice).
Perhaps we could see our way to picking from these choices the best combination to solve our problems? Can we try to follow good farming practices while harnessing the benefits of new technology? We have been experimenting with cross-breeding, growing hybrids and other techniques for centuries; adopting some new strains developed through the use of genetic modification is another step down that road, it will not make us grow another ear or turn purple. There is no satisfaction in being “right” while people and the planet suffer.
Posted in Food Policy, Food Security, Price Rise
Tagged food policy, food security, Price Rise
Food Inflation
A visit to the grocery store any day of the week will confirm what is in the news all the time: food prices are rising all over the world and this trend is expected to continue. Normally, farmers in the U.S. could be expected to respond to rising prices by planting more of that particular crop (corn or beans etc) but this year there is little room to do so. That is because farmers have already expanded cotton production in response to rising cotton prices. So, food will cost more and so will clothes. These are obvious impacts. Less apparent but equally important are the changes in package sizing which skew the grocery bill. Producers and manufacturers are making package sizes smaller while continuing to charge the usual prices. A can of tuna might cost the same as ever but look closely and you will notice that there is less tuna in it. The consumer gets hit both ways: either the rising cost gets passed on as higher prices or we pay the same but get less in return. Another reason to follow the dictum: always, always read the label!!
Food Trends to Celebrate!
Mark Bittman celebrates good news from the food world. I particularly like the introduction of food into the national conversation and growing our own food. “A planter on every deck” seems to be the motto in my neighborhood this spring: not only does this make us feel connected to our food, it also draws us outside and gardening is a great activity for kids and parents to do together. Of course, closest to my heart is what he aptly calls “the edible school lunch”, chocolate milk is a thing of the past in our county and more vegetable options are coming up. The shoots of a better food world are peeking through. Spring is really here!
Quinoa: trendy abroad, scarce at home
Recently, everyone seems to be talking about the wonders of quinoa. It is commonly but mistakenly thought to be a grain but is actually related to vegetables. It is still relatively expensive here, but can be found in many grocery stores. While we learn about its wonderful nutritional benefits and try to incorporate it in our diet, back in Bolivia where it was first grown, quinoa is a more complex story. Rising prices abroad have diverted more of the quinoa crop for export leaving less for domestic consumption. The domestic price has also gone up and consumers now turn to cheaper alternatives like white rice. Perhaps, the problem could be solved by expanding production but changing consumer preferences (soda instead of quinoa-based drinks) also contributes to limiting production. This story says a lot about the importance of a certain food is perceived. Quinoa is the latest trend so people will pay a premium for it but sodas are new and cool to someone else and they will change over to it from a healthier alternative. Even if we know what food choices we should make as people, as a country and as a planet, perceptions often drive the situation in a whole different direction.
The Return of Salmonella
So, we might just be looking forward to another summer without the delights of tomatoes or spinach as efforts are on to cut FDA funding for food safety. This area was sadly under-funded to begin with, and now House Republicans want to slash that further. If these proposals go through, the FDA will have to furlough or lay off staff and that will mean fewer, or less intensive inspections of all the stuff that is going into your grocery cart.
Yes, we need to live and budget more sensibly as people and as a nation but how could the health of the citizens fall off the priority list? On the flat, not-warming planet where these proposals might have originated, has anyone given a thought to subsidies? or biofuels? Just saying!
Two Banana Stories
My day, like that of so many people across the world ,starts with the banana. I set out one each for the kids, they moan about how boring it is, I remind them how good it is for them, and then; ritual completed we munch together in the early morning calm. So when I heard about the banana crisis in Uganda, which is the world’s second largest producer of banana and where the banana is a staple food, I was concerned. It turns out that rather than give up and watch the banana plantations be laid to waste by disease, Ugandan scientists are testing a GM strain that would withstand the BXW bacteria. This new story though, has the same ending as many we have heard before: opposition to GM technology means there might be a very long wait before these developments can actually be brought to the fields. In the meantime, livelihoods are lost, and an entire way of living is in danger.
Closer to home, the introduction of individually plastic wrapped bananas by DelMonte brought howls of laughter as well as disbelief. Had no one noticed that the banana came in its own bio-degradable wrapper? Why did people try to interfere with Nature? So obvious, right? Consider this, as theAtlantic did: individual wrapping, intended to preserve freshness, will lower the number of perfectly good bananas thrown out each year. The article also makes the point that we should stop thinking of nature as sacred and man as a despoiler. We are part of the same world. Yes, we should be more thoughtful in the way we impact nature but let us not set some impossible Garden of Eden standard for this interaction.
Posted in Food Policy, Food Safety, Food Security, Nutrition
Tagged food policy, food safety, food security
Thought + Food 