Posted on 10/08/2011 7:53:45 PM PDT by dynachrome
The head of the world's biggest food company Nestle said on Friday that rising food prices have created conditions "similar" to 2008 when hunger riots took place in many countries.
"The situation is similar (to 2008). This has become the new reality," the Swiss giant's chairman Peter Brabeck-Letmathe told the Salzburger Nachrichten daily in his native Austria in an interview.
"We have reached a level of food prices that is substantially higher than before. It will likely settle down at this level.
"If you live in a developing country and spend 80 percent of your income on food then of course you are going to feel it more than here (in Europe) where it is maybe eight percent."
In 2008, the price of cereals reached historic levels, provoking a food crisis and riots in a number of African countries, as well as in Haiti and the Philippines.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Just wondering, do you know the percentage of Iowa corn that is used for Ethanol? Percent of US corn used for Ethanol?
more of it’s brazilian, iirc.
Must have been the first of the month when everybody got their food stamps. There is a cheaper grocery store here that is to be avoided for the first several days each month. Bare shelves. Too many people, most who don’t speak English. And it is kinda shameful when all we can afford that week barely covers the bottom of a cart and there are people with a couple of carts loaded to the gills both behind and in front of you in line.
Sucks to be them.
“I went into WAL*MART for a few things the other day and I felt like I was in downtown Stalingrad”
Thank you! The great variety Walmart used to provide has long since disapeared, but when I see long shelves filled with only a few items to take up space, and really cheap, crappy merchandise, I’m reminded of shopping in East Berlin before The Wall came down. I’ve wondered if anyone has thought the same!
“Just wondering, do you know the percentage of Iowa corn that is used for Ethanol? Percent of US corn used for Ethanol?”
While those numbers are important, a big factor to consider is the fruit and vegitables not being grown. That ground is being given over to Ethanol corn.
Just wondering if anyone has any actual statistics.
You bring up an interesting point, tho I believe farmers do fallow the land and rotate crops and have for many years prior to ethanol.
That said, tho I don’t agree with the government subsidies for ethanol, in a capitalist society, shouldn’t farmers be able to grow whatever crops they want and whatever makes them the most money (As I said,I would get the government out of ethanol subsidies ). Besides, outside of perhaps soybeans, what fruits and vegetables are not being grown in Iowa in lieu of corn?
Besides, outside of perhaps soybeans, what fruits and vegetables are not being grown in Iowa in lieu of corn?
Can’t answer that. I live in New Mexico. Of course the farmer is going to grow for the most profit...Idaho potatoes or ethanol corn?
My point, obviously, that a lot of food costs will be affected.
If you don’t know how to hunt and fish, you might want to consider taking a few lessons.
OK, well I live in IL and have/had family in Iowa, and Missouri, so I do see a lot of corn planted....Always have. I don’t know how much corn has ever been grown in Idaho—soil type, growing season, etc. So I question some of these assumptions that crops are being replaced for corn. As I said, I believe all farmers fallow fields and practice crop rotation.
If farmer gets a better price for corn used in non-subsidized ethanol, then in free market economy, shouldn’t they be able to plant it. BTW, for years and years farmers and agriculture suffered recessionary pressures, I am glad for them that they are getting a good price for their crops. Many crop prices are up btw, not just corn.
These Googles say 30% to 40% of the US corn crop is used, or will soon be used for ethanol. Some are from different periods but it looks like its now near 40%
A cheapening dollar should make importing things from America cheaper, not costlier. There’s a lot that doesn’t make sense here.
If they didn't grow corn they would be growing wheat or something which wouldn't up the fruit and veggie ratio at all.
BTW what is left over from the ethanol process is very high quality animal fodder and is used that way so there really isn't a net food loss.
Ethanol from corn has many other problems but it is not taking food from starving children.
Thanks. I did a little looking myself. Apparently the size of the corn crop has increased from 9.5 to 13. billion bushels...2007/2008 data. According to USDA, rates wwere as listed below:
Again, I think subsidies should be phased out and let farmers grow what is profitable.
I believe they are beginning to make ethanol from other sources besides feed crops—switch grass and saw grass. -———————————————————————————
As the size of the corn crop grows, so too do its uses.
In 2002/03, the United States produced a corn crop of 9.0 billion bushels and consumed 9.5 billion bushels of
corn. How was that crop utilized?
Usage Bil. Bu. Percentage of Total Use
Feed/residual 5.6 59.0%
Export 1.6 17%
Ethanol 1.1 11.5%
Other 1.2 12.5%
(Source: US Department of Agriculture)
In 2007/08, the United States produced a corn crop of 13.1 billion bushels and consumed 12.8 billion bushels
of corn, 35% more than in 2002. While the amount consumed by ethanol production increased, so too did the
entire crop and every other usage.
Usage Bil. Bu. Percentage of Total Use
Feed/residual 6.1 48%
Export 2.4 19%
Ethanol 3.0 23%
Other 1.3 10%
(Source: US Department of Agriculture)
I can do both, but I'm rarely at home in Idaho to enjoy those activities. Some of my neighbors who are lifetime hunters have been coming home empty handed. The Canadian timber wolves have decimated the moose, elk and deer in Idaho. Skills without something to actually harvest is nearly as bad as no skills at all.
Actually, it’s ‘thank you ethanol mandates’.
Imagine if all the corn that was used for ethanol was ground up into corn meal. How much cheaper would corn-based foods be then?
Actually, there used to be very large truck farms in the Midwest. That’s where the jolly green giant got his start. It just proved to be more profitable to grow row crops because there wasn’t enough cheap labor to process peas, beans, melons, and carrots, and row crops are easy to grow with machines, and to store and transport without expensive canning/freezing plants.
No it was just two days ago...not only produce but the whole store...empty shelves...a weird feeling going through there.
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