In The News

10 Things to Know for World Food Day

Lester Brown October 16, 2013
The world should be united in ensuring food security. In an essay for TreeHugger, Lester Brown lists the multiple threats: increasing population, especially in the most impoverished nations; an expanding middle class in emerging economies consuming more meat; limits on farm expansion because of limited water supplies; groundwater over-pumped in China and India; fast rising food prices; loss of...

New Challenges for Global Food Security

Marion Guillou September 25, 2013
New stresses have emerged in recent years that threaten global food security, writes Marion Guillou of INRA for ParisTech Review. The globe produces, on average, 800 more calories for each person than needed. Yet climate change contributes to price volatility which in turn destabilizes developing countries. Poor nations tend toward younger populations, and the young require more calories than...

Afrikaners Reaping Colorado Wheat Threatened by Visa Cap

Alan Bjerga August 2, 2013
Wheat, like many crops, has a tight window for harvest, forcing farmers to move quickly before rain, wind or unseasonable temperatures strike. Foreigners account for one third of the labor force that harvests US wheat. Many small, skilled work crews come from South Africa during their off season to share combines and assist small US farms. Because wheat harvests are so mechanized, the small crews...

Food and the Walmartization of Agriculture

Josh Sager July 17, 2013
Walmart gained market share by providing low-cost products with tight negotiations for suppliers and labor at all levels. Walmart controls about 25 percent of the US grocery market, and its business model favors industrial farms and producers of volume, argues Josh Sager for GlobalResearch. Medical research touting the health benefits of fruits and vegetables is shaping consumer demands. Yet...

Quinoa Should Be Taking Over the World

Lydia DePillis July 17, 2013
Quinoa, a grain originating in South America that’s touted for its health benefits, has exploded in global popularity. This newfound fame is driven by wealthy, health-conscious Americans. Quinoa’s story is tied together with the intricacies of international agribusiness, foreign investment and global trade – and the role these play in providing food. Price per pound for the crop tripled from 2006...

Kimberly-Clark Comes to Venezuela’s (Toilet Paper) Rescue

Benedict Mander July 2, 2013
Contrasting with the anti-imperialist stance of his predecessor Hugo Chavez, Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro is ready to accept US investment in the country. The oil-rich nation has a troubled economy, marked by nationwide shortages of basics, including toilet paper. Kimberly-Clark, a US company that controls 15 percent of Venezuela’s market for toilet paper, is planning to invest $37...

Argentina Falls From Throne as King of Beef

Simon Romero July 1, 2013
In a country with more cows than people, beef consumption is in decline: Per capita consumption of beef in Argentina is 129 pounds, down from 222 pounds in 1956. High prices, rising demand for grains and the shift towards a more varied diet – reflected in rising demand for poultry, pasta and pizza – are reasons for the decline, reports Simon Romero for the New York Times. Government policies aim...