Grain prices set records as US drought, food worries spread. That is today’s Reuter’s headline. I feel terrible for the animals that have been and will be slaughtered due to lack of feed, and I feel bad for the farmers who are being monetarily affected (even though I think their subsidies should be cut off). I am not being haughty, but humans and the animals we consume shouldn’t be eating the shit being grown: corn, wheat and soy.
Will rising food prices affect me? Heck no. The animals I consume are raised on pasture and I don’t buy any processed products that contain wheat, corn or soy. The processed products I do purchase are apple cider vinegar, the occasional salsa, butter, seaweed and similar products.
So what is up with food prices and our whiny American ways? Many articles discuss what we spent on food 50 years ago and what we spend today. Our health as a nation has been trashed as the amount we spend on food has declined. Americans are a bunch of entitled, sick whiners.
Check out this February 2012 article – it is a fantastic perspective regarding the “old days” of food and where we stand today in comparision to the rest of the world: America Spends Less on Food Than Any Other Country.
My family spends about 1/3 of our income on food and that won’t be changing. Because of our food, we do not suffer the ills so many Americans do. Our family doctor and the dentist almost don’t know what to do with us when we come in for checkups. Ryan and I are continuing to recover from our lousy food consumption prior to age 40, and I like the expectation of continuing to feel better as we age. Colson, on the other hand, confounds the dental hygienist with his great teeth, and our family doctor enjoys seeing him because he doesn’t get to see too many kids like him. The doc is super busy and always in a hurry, but when Colson comes in for a checkup he slows down. He gets the food connection and I think he enjoys being reminded of successful food and health stories.
"Will rising food prices affect me? Heck no. The animals I consume are raised on pasture"
I just read an article this morning from a local organic farmer, who says when the pasture dies from lack of rain, the farmers have to bring hay out to the cows in the field. Not sure, but I think that would drive up prices.
Posted by: AnneS | July 21, 2012 at 08:22 AM
Great point, Anne. I was writing from a self-centered point of view and should have been thinking bigger. We aren't affected by drought the way the drought area is, so loss of pasture is not an issue here.
It is sad that this is all playing out the way the global warming models predicted...although drought could have come on without global warming.
Posted by: Laura Combs | July 21, 2012 at 10:00 AM