Ryan ChartrandThe term “bread basket of the world” has long been used to describe parts of the U.S., such as the Midwest and California’s central valley. Based on the recent worldwide food shortage, this image of America is definitely called into question.
Most of us are already aware of rising prices of certain items – a gallon of milk or a loaf of bread, for example – but this shortage is hitting way closer to home than most of us care to imagine.
Major retailers on the East and West coasts are already rationing food. The demand for flour, rice, cooking oils and grain are surpassing the supply. Last month, a Costco in Mountain View, Calif. only had half a pallet of one type of rice left, and the store posted a sign that read “We are limiting rice purchases based on your prior purchasing history.” Clerks were reclaiming bags from customers who did not adhere to the policy. According to the New York Sun, spiking food prices have led to riots in Haiti, Indonesia and several African nations. Furthermore, India recently banned exports of all but the highest quality rice, and Vietnam blocked the signing of a new contract for foreign rice sales.
In regards to flour and grain shortages, some citizens are frustrated that the U.S. hasn’t put export controls on wheat. The logistics appear to be quite simple: the demand for flour is high because there is a worldwide shortage of wheat, and the United States is still exporting more grain. According to a recent CBS report, flour costs have tripled in the past year – it now costs more than sugar. Consumers can expect to pay 50 cents to $1 more per loaf of bread than they did a year ago, and it’s expected to get worse.
Now in terms of the U.S., you would think we could find some way to get relief, say, at the gas pump. Here’s one idea: let’s leverage a product that we farm and distribute in the U.S. and make it into some sort of energy-saving yet environmentally friendly solution that offsets rising oil costs. Let’s call it “ethanol.”
Ethanol sounds like a fabulous idea. It can be used as vehicle fuel and has such a wonderful “green” image. After all, it is produced from corn kernels. Ingenious, really. And it’ll be a great way to stimulate the U.S. economy through extended opportunities for farmers and, of course, lower gas prices, not to mention a great step toward sustainable energy. Unfortunately, this idea couldn’t be further from reality.
Sen. Ted Kennedy seems to see the light. He told Cybercast News Service, “I think very definitely there is a clear connection between our ethanol use and world hunger. The connection is becoming more evident and understood more every day by the American people. And they understand that there is very little that’s being done to address the problem.” Thank you, Ted. Now that we “understand” the problem and that there’s nothing being done about it, now what?
Unfortunately, Sen. Kennedy is correct, although it would have been nice if he and his constituents got it right the first time when ethanol was supposed to be the greatest thing since sliced bread (no pun intended).
The Energy Policy Act mandates that increasing amounts of ethanol be used to dilute gasoline. According to the Washington Post, as the demand for corn has increased because of increased ethanol consumption, the number of acres used to grow wheat in the U.S. has been limited, contributing to a shortage of wheat on the world market and an overall increase in world grain prices.
As if ethanol being one of the reasons for a major food shortage isn’t enough, it has serious environmental repercussions as well. Corn acreage is one of the largest consumers of nitrogen-based fertilizer. The major problem with fertilizer is that it contaminates our water supply with nitrates and phosphates, which in turn taints drinking water and also removes the oxygen from the water in a process called eutrophication. Not only is groundwater unsafe to drink now, the fish are dying due to deprivation of oxygen! In fact, one of the largest dead zones in the world in the Gulf of Mexico has been created due to upstream runoff from our own Mississippi River. Can you guess why? Fertilizers used in Midwest farming. We already face a major fish shortage, and now the rest of our food supply is catching up.
Did I mention that fertilizer production uses thousands of cubic feet of natural gas, so ultimately any energy savings from biofuels like ethanol have become awash, and now our natural gas supply is being threatened as well.
The world is in distress over this crippling shortage. Where is the resounding “oops” from all the environmental organizations and politicians who agreed that ethanol is the corn god’s gift to the United States? Perhaps Sen. Kennedy should actually do something about it instead of pointing out the obvious.
Christina Chiappe is a social sciences senior and a conservative columnist for the Mustang Daily.