Sunday, July 25, 2004

Posted here Sunday, July 25, 2004 at 11:08:28 AM     I sometimes think our tendency to be overweight have grocery stores that are wonderful amount of money and effort spent on food are interpretable as anxiety about the future of food. WORLD FOOD SECURITY DETERIORATING: Food Crunch in 2005 Now Likely Lester R. Brown Closing the gap in the world grain harvest this year following four consecutive grain harvest shortfalls, each larger than the one before, will not be easy. The grain shortfall of 105 million tons in 2003 is easily the largest on record, amounting to 5 percent of annual world consumption of 1,930 million tons. The four harvest shortfalls have dropped world carryover stocks of grain to the lowest level in 30 years, amounting to only 59 days of consumption. Wheat and corn prices are at 7-year highs. Rice prices are at 5-year highs. (See data.) The concentration of ownership in the food industry is also worrisome. The alrge travel distances make food prices very vulnerable to fuel costs and terrorism. ********