US drought could trigger repeat of global food crisis, experts warn

[xchrom]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/jul/23/us-drought-global-food-crisis


A corn farmer holds drought-stricken ears of corn plucked from fields outside Eldorado, Illinois. Photograph: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA

America's drought threatens a recurrence of the 2008 global food crisis, when soaring prices set off riots and unrest to parts of Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America, food experts warn.

Corn prices reached an all-time high on Friday, as the drought expanded across America, trading at $8.24 a bushel on the Chicago exchange. Soybeans were also trading at record levels.

The US department of agriculture meanwhile predicted there would be less corn coming onto global markets over the next year, because of a sharp drop in US exports.

[Denninmi]

1. Yeah, it's going to be a real mess.

Production is going to drop substantially on a lot of crops. Wheat is already bad due to the drought last year in TX, OK and this year's drought. Corn and soy are a mess. Fruit crops such a cherries and apples took a big hit in the midwest and east. The heat is causing dairy cattle to slow down milk production. Poultry and livestock are dying from heat stress.

Prices on food will rise a lot due to the bad weather, and probably a lot more due to speculation.

It's going to be a very bumpy ride.

[JDPriestly]

2. Strange how this story gets so little attention on DU, and yet, it is far

more important than so many others that we react to with great emotion.

Think of all the uses for corn. Humans are not the only animals that eat corn. A lot of
US cattle are fed corn (shouldn't be but are). Poultry. Ethanol.

The list is long, and if the corn looks like that, I hate to think about what is happening to the wheat crop here in the lower 48.

[XemaSab]

3. It's a good thing it was wet winter before last in California

This past winter was dry, but we had enough "in the bank" to keep a lot of water going down the river.

[phantom power]

4. has anybody else noticed....

we've had some close calls, reservoir wise, in recent years. I'm getting the feeling that one of these years we're going to see a major city have a keystone reservoir go dry, and then there's going to be some Interesting Times.