Do you think the high price of food is an indication of a coming or current food

1. 61

   what_say_youposted 13 years ago

   Do you think the high price of food is an indication of a coming or current food shortage?
   
   I am concerned that I may need to start stocking up on food for my family and educating myself on gardening and I sincerely wonder if it is a global issue. I have inserted the article that sparked my concern if you are interested: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41667407/ns … inessweek/
   
   

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2. 59

   Janna Jonesposted 13 years ago

   I think 'fear mongering' is just that; spreading fear when it is not needed. What is needed are cool heads.
   
   A great president once said;
   “Only Thing We Have to Fear Is Fear Itself”: FDR’s First Inaugural Address
   
   As a Christian, I always remember "God is in control."
   
   Jimmy Jones

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3. 60

   Jarnposted 13 years ago

   I think the high price of food is a part of profiteering on the part of the food industry as well as brought about by increased costs of transportation and distribution to local stores because of the increased cost of fuel. We're facing a fuel and morality shortage, not a food shortage.

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4. 60

   jwillifordposted 13 years ago

   This could be true- we have a increasing population world-wide

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5. 61

   nightwork4posted 13 years ago

   it has nothing to do with a food shortage. it has everything to do with greed and want. there is probably enough food right now to last the earth for 10 years but by making it sound like were in dire straits, comapnies can justify increasing the price . were coming out of a recession and governments want to make back the money they wasted that got us in the recession in the first place. lots of reasons but none due to food shortages.

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6. 61

   what_say_youposted 13 years ago

   I agree with the "fear mongering" aspect, however when I see facts such as "China's drought, Russia's ban, Austrailias' Floods, etc....I do wonder.
   
   There are too many other countries suffering food shortages for the U.S. not to be impacted at some point.

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7. 58

   JennyKnightposted 13 years ago

   Honestly, I think it's the law of supply and demand working here. I don't think it actually is shortage. People are panicking over this which leads them to buying more food. Therefore, more demand = higher prices. If the sellers notice that the demand is getting weaker, then they would bring the prices down.

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8. 81

   Attikosposted 12 years ago

   No. The world still produces more food than it consumes. It's not evenly spread around (what is?), but there is no worldwide shortage. Today's high prices reflect recent high oil prices, petroleum being the primary source of both energy and chemicals used in food production and distribution, and batty public policies e.g. fuel ethanol subsidy.

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9. 59

   swordsbaneposted 11 years ago

   Not specifically.  The current high price of food is due to the market being depressed and people investing more in consumables and food, and the fact that the value of the dollar sucks.
   
   However, the coming oil and coal shortage will affect the food supply.  nightwork4: Food is not something you can stockpile.  Yes.. canned food will keep, but in terms of growing/raising it to sustain the whole population.... too many things we use in growing food is based on our dependence on fossil fuels.  Fertillizers, for instance are largely fossil fuel based.  Before the industrial revolution, our food production could sustain perhaps 10% of the population we have now.  The amount of farmable land has gone down since then, but basic agricultural technology has grown, to let's be generous and say we can sustain about 30% of the current worlds population if all our fossil fuels went away.  In reality, it might be closer to 20%.  And peak oil has already passed.  Our production of oil is not going to grow much and the demand is going nowhere but up.  Higher gas prices are inevitable at this point and that means things like transporting the food is going to get more expensive too, which will be passed along to the consumer.  It's not greed, but it is market forces at work.  We've been living beyond our means for close to a hundred years.  The bill's about to come due.  In answer to your question: High prices aren't a direct indication, but a food shortage IS coming.  The only question is: when and that depends on oil.

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