Fragile Food Production

A Brief Apology: For over a month now, we here at PrudentHome have been dealing with a severe illness in one of the senior members of our family. It has taken our time, our effort and our concentration in order to give that family member the care and help they so richly deserve. It has not taken our commitment to strive to give the readers of PrudentHome our best efforts in helping them prepare for what we are sure are the difficult times ahead. We have been sporadic in our postings during this trial but we have been posting. We will continue on with our best efforts. Thank you.

Fragile Food Production: Food production in the world appears to be growing more fragile by the day as food producers fight challenges like the weather (climate change), oil price fluctuations, pests (Ug99), water availability, and a growing shortage of farmland. Now there’s a new concern: food production expectations. Here’s what it looks like in the headline from a World Net Daily (wnd.com) post this 1/10/10: “Government cover-up of food production shortage feared – Reports show demand growing, production declines estimated at 30%”. Here are some of the articles key points:

• “While trend experts, economists and investment gurus have been predicting food shortages for some time, new evidence indicates the U.S. Department of Agriculture mat be covering up the greatest food shortage in modern history.”

• “ … growing economies in Asia have ben consuming record amounts of raw goods, particularly food staples as consumers move to higher calorie diets. When supplies are reduced and demand is constant or growing, pieces normally rise.

Industry observers and economists remained mystified by the low agricultural prices in spite of this trend.One analyst, Eric DeCarbonnel from MarketSkeptics believes the answer is found in data he believes the U.S. Department of Agriculture has manipulated to keep prices low.

“Instead of adjusting production estimates down to reflect decreased production, [the USDA] adjusted estimates upwards to match increasing demand from China. In this way, the USDA has brought supply and demand back into balance (on paper) and temporarily delayed a rise in food prices by ensuring a catastrophe in 2010,” he said.

DeCarbonnel points out that across the Midwest United States, many counties already have been declared federal disaster areas, which is defined by a decrease in crop production of at least one type by 30 percent or more. Hundreds of other counties across the country have experienced crop failures of 10-20 percent, not enough to qualify as federal disaster areas but still contributing to the overall poor harvest.”

• “DeCarbonnel’s conclusion is that the government is intentionally covering up the nature of the food shortage because if the public realized the true extent of the crisis and/or prices rose dramatically, economies could collapse and governments could fall.

He’s not alone in his claims, as researchers around the world are now publishing similar accusations.”

For a more extensive treatment of this subject/information, go here:
http://www.marketskeptics.com/2009/12/2010-food-crisis-for-dummies.html

This is the kind of information that has led/leads PrudentHome to encourage its readers to: expand your food storage program (and purchase your garden seeds for this years garden ASAP – enough for two gardens MINIMUM) and keep your awareness of what’s going on at the highest level.

Until next time, keep your eyes on the horizon as the weathers changing fast.