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265 Comments
- fitqueenb, on 04/20/2008, -2/+70things will get worse before they get better.
- Strongo, on 04/20/2008, -2/+47This is what we get for allowing Iowa to vote first ever year....
- Joe_rigby, on 04/20/2008, -4/+44Crops should be planted for use by people as fuel instead of automobiles.
- inactive, on 04/20/2008, -6/+44what better way to depopulate the world than with a food shortage. An eugenics conspiracy is afoot...
- mongrel, on 04/21/2008, -4/+37Some dude in the Burger King line a few months ago overheard my friend & I bitching about gas prices, and "piously" chimed in how HE was using corn ethanol fuel in his pickup which barely cost him anything. To which I replied, "thanks for that, this time next year that Whopper will cost twice as much."
- Stevanoski, on 04/20/2008, -18/+47But but bio fuel has been given the stamp of approval by the Greens so it must be okay to starve the world, even if it takes 7 gallons of petroleum to produce 1 gallon of bio fuel. And for all you sharp people, the ones who know chemistry, what molecule is part of the alcohol molecule? Water! So the damage to your engine if it is not set up to handle this excess water will be great.
- TinternAbbot, on 04/21/2008, -5/+31It does my heart good to see articles from The Economist on the front page every now and then. Every time I see the word "Huffington" I feel a minor stroke coming on...and I'm only 22!
- 9bpm9, on 04/20/2008, -4/+26China? Worried about feeding its people? Since when?
- Brian48216, on 04/21/2008, -1/+22You have captured my interest.
Where can I find this fabled 150 piece bucket? - inactive, on 04/21/2008, -5/+25This is horrible news!
* Orders two cheese steaks and pizza fries * - TinternAbbot, on 04/21/2008, -0/+19More appropriately, they should be planted without subsidies for whatever purpose the planter finds most economically attractive.
- topgigmedia, on 04/21/2008, -4/+22Meanwhile, Americans continue to super-size their 150 piece bucket of fried chicken at KFC...
- pixelguru, on 04/21/2008, -2/+19FTA, "Roughly a billion people live on $1 a day."
There's the problem... if they instead lived on 1 Euro / day, they would currently be MUCH better off. - Hidama, on 04/20/2008, -6/+21I do agree: the economic powers need to create a plan to alleviate the inflation in nations that cannot handle it and risk uprising.
And there is a good reason that China is worried. In many places cities have depleted or fouled natural water sources, and are finding some of their prime farm land becoming desert-like. - cliffzdude, on 04/21/2008, -2/+16Indeed you are correct. However, they will get better. For about 2 decades US farmers have increased production to the point that it was in the country's best interest to keep land ready for farming, but not farm said land. That's the basis of the must maligned "paid to not grow" programs you hear about so often on Digg. The good news is more of those lands are being farmed this summer instead of being tagged for government funds, albeit at a painful pace. Weather has slowed planting corn for example by over 17%, but the amount of land being planted for corn has increased dramatically. But it takes farmers time to capitalize up for increased production, and in an environment with $4 diesel, more expensive fertilizers and pesticides, well, its a gamble for Joe Farmer Inc... I know I'm going against the grain by suggesting the prices of oil and increased demand are the world's issues regarding increased commodity pricing, so be it.
- AmusedToDeath, on 04/21/2008, -2/+14Hey Petrodollar - ***** you very much. I've got plenty of land to grow my OWN food down here, thanks. All you sanctimonious townies can suck it when the ***** comes down.
- cliffzdude, on 04/21/2008, -4/+16My parents were pumping what was then called "Gasohol" into their sedans back in the 80's. No problems after decades, a modern engine can handle 10-15% alcohol. That said its patently obvious that using corn derived alcohol as fuel is absurd, but lets use accurate arguments that will stand up.
- cliffzdude, on 04/21/2008, -1/+12Its not in government's interest per se, its in your interest and mine. We're currently enjoying (albeit quietly) the fruits of said programs. Production will be able to rise without taking *too* long or at *too* great a cost. It cost us taxpayers in the short run, but in the long run the current increase in demand is exactly why such programs were put into place.
BTW how can such a program violate property rights? Color me an ignoramus, that's ok, I've been called worse. But if Joe Farmer Inc can grow crops or take a year of payment to not grow, how is that a violation of property rights? I'm not baiting you, I really don't get your statement. - InspectorGadget, on 04/21/2008, -7/+18The problem isn't too little food. The problem (in addition to retarded subsidies, GMO fearmongering, etc.) is that nobody in East ***** has bothered to learn how to use a condom and not pop out another mouth to feed despite billions in UN, American, and European efforts to accomplish just that.
- chalkboy, on 04/21/2008, -2/+13Let them eat Cake!
- Foxehh, on 04/21/2008, -1/+11I agree. Its not the United States or the European Unions responsibility to feed the world.
- Seventus, on 04/21/2008, -3/+13A wave of food price inflation is also because of China's recent decision to reduce the production of fertilizers, therefore making it more expensive to purchase them. They said that they've done this in order to protect their farmers. For once, something that does affect the price of rice.
- MrWhite7, on 04/21/2008, -3/+13Well that explains why you're trying to take away their guns ...
- philipl411, on 04/21/2008, -7/+16Let me get this straight. China pee's in its own chili and the US needs to step up to the plate and fix it? Let them starve. No skin off my nose
- funkyjunk3, on 04/20/2008, -2/+11Algae and other non-food sources should be used for biofuel, and NOT at the cost of food farmland. Sure it's not as readily available as corn, soy beans, etc. However, it is a much more efficient way of producing biofuel compared to current sources and it does so without the significant reductions in the food supply.
- slightlygifted, on 04/21/2008, -7/+15***** these third world starving countries. they need to not let their population grow past what their land is able to support. stop sending your charity money to feed all the kids over there, they will just live to have 7 kids that will also need money to stop them from starving. they need to learn how to use a condom. or anal.
- inactive, on 04/21/2008, -1/+9Yeah, lets let the EU and CHina fix this one. Time we sat one out and let all the people who have been crying that we ***** everything up have a go.
- nullcodes, on 04/21/2008, -3/+11There will be no food shortage next year. The reason for the high prices is major crop failures in countries such as Ukraine and Australia. Such simultaneous crop failures are a coincidence. A statistical possibility only once in x or so years, I seriously doubt we'll see this shortage again next year. A slight decrease in production can cause a major price hike, because of the way it works .. the fact that food is essential.
People need to stop panicking and being vulnerable to idiots trying to pass their petty agendas
Look at wheat production statistics. Look at 2005,6 as compared to last/this year. When the prices were low people would claim farmers are starving because globalization has caused a collapse in food prices. So which is it? High prices are bad, low prices are bad. Stable prices is stagnation (prices are not reducing enough to help the poor and farmers are not able to make a profit).. also bad. WTF?
Next year when there is a price collapse, again globalization will get blamed by the loony environmentalists and anti globalization idiots and isolationists who caused this problem in the first place.
A few years ago .. everyone was bitching at the WTO for falling prices of food causing a drop in food prices. Now, everyone is bitching that prices are high. WTF
http://www.focusweb.org/india/content/view/739/30/
http://www.stuffedandstarved.org/drupal/node/74
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/0912-04.ht ...
http://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/cafta/Agri ...
People forget that back in 2003,2004 everyone was bitching about globalization causing a collapse in food prices and sending farmers to bankruptcy. - Devilboy666, on 04/21/2008, -1/+9There's not a lot of meat on someone that died of starvation though.
- RussellDovey, on 04/21/2008, -0/+8Environmentalists want solar power, not biodiesel. We want electric cars. You're a tard.
- DRINKxREDxBULL, on 04/21/2008, -0/+8There were only two candidates who went through Iowa this year and refused to offer more farm subsidies. One was Ron Paul, the other was John McCain.
- Foxehh, on 04/21/2008, -0/+7Getting paid to not plant is not a "violation of property rights". The farmers chose to accept the money. No one is forcing farmers to not plant as far as I know.
- Foxehh, on 04/21/2008, -1/+8If this report is accurate, it looks like 1 billion people will die if food prices don't go down.
- manstein01, on 04/21/2008, -3/+10Economic Powers = America with some help by Western Europe.
I'd rather put some pressure on these countries to finally start considering that birth control might be a good idea. Bangladesh has 160 million people crammed into an over sized river delta. - hiikeeba, on 04/21/2008, -2/+9The Global Warming Movement isn't coming from the Greenies. It's coming from Archer Daniels Midland who has seen their corn prices go through the roof so we can have biofuels rather than feed livestock. In Mexico, farmers are digging up agave plants to plant corn for biofuels. In parts of Europe, grain is being replaced with corn for biofuels. Add to that a growing demand for wheat and grains in the Far East, you have a perfect storm. Yep, lots of poor people of color are going to starve so we can drive our SUVs in good conscience.
- Prototek, on 04/21/2008, -2/+9The ones who know chemistry know that you do not know chemistry.
- DRINKxREDxBULL, on 04/21/2008, -1/+8Actually free food IS part of the problem. Our government subdues corn and other crops so heavily that farmers in other nations can't compete, and don't grow crops.
This ultra-cheap corn and wheat is then dumped in African nations as "aid", making it even harder for farmers to make a living because they are competing with free grain. So the farmers don't plant, leading to food shortages, which lead to Bono begging governments to send more aid, which (you guessed it) leads to more farmers being put out of business. - h3smith, on 04/21/2008, -0/+7Yeah. No.
- BesideYouInTime, on 04/21/2008, -3/+9Food subsidies aren't necessary as bad as they're made out to be in the article. I remember reading an article about six months ago about some African country that was being advised by the IMF or World Bank or some other NGO. They were having consistent problems over a number of years with hunger. In the end they went against the advice of the NGO and reinstituted agriculture subsidies and their hunger problems were gone within a year. Unfortunately in practice 'free trade' means we pressure third world countries to give up their own subsidies while leaving ours intact. Corn subsidies in the US are outrageous.
- h3smith, on 04/21/2008, -3/+9Fringe Greens would love nothing more than people dying off to "save the planet" as they see people as a "virus" (to steal from the Matrix) of the Earth.
- SemiSarcastic, on 04/21/2008, -0/+6Well Europe, the world needs you. THROW ALL YOUR MONEY AT THE PROBLEM!!111!!111!!
- h3smith, on 04/21/2008, -0/+6Cargil got out of the Ethanol business and told congress that ethanol was a waste because they were burning money.
But once congress subsidized it, it was stupid for them not to get back in the business - they were throwing so much money at it. - PeppermintPig, on 04/21/2008, -4/+10Whatever the government's interest is concerning the farming of property belonging to private individuals, it's really none of their business. Paying farmers not to grow and prohibiting them from doing so is anti-competitive, and it violates property rights.
- MrWhite7, on 04/21/2008, -2/+8They do however, inflict more casualties...The Union won because of its booming industry and economy... Guess what's going down the ***** and the basis for this discussion...
- funkyjunk3, on 04/21/2008, -0/+6correction, the technology is not yet commercially available on mass scale to produce the algae for bio fuels yet. However, I'd rather it wait 3-4 years to get on line than to deplete the food supply.
- ludar, on 04/21/2008, -1/+7@petrodollar: wow, that is one of the most ill-informed remarks that i have ever read on this site.
- SemiSarcastic, on 04/21/2008, -0/+6Or in the process of that occurring have the world be split between Green Movement and Non-Green individuals and have them duke it out in a conflict that will encompass the entire world for a 5-8 year period of bloody turmoil and massive destruction which would guarantee the exact same result.
...
Hey, I worked during world war 2. - NonLeftistDiggr, on 04/21/2008, -0/+6Digg could use many more articles from the economist for world/political submissions
- BikeMessenger, on 04/21/2008, -0/+5Thats cold dude.
- had3l, on 04/21/2008, -1/+6The problem is not the harvest of ethanol or bio fuels from food crops. The problem is the subsidies to the production of such fuels. If not for the subsidies, they would have to find more efficient ways/crops to produce bio-fuels.
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