You have likely heard of the global food crisis. You might even have already encountered rationing of goods you wanted to buy! What you haven't heard is the unique perspective that this article will give you.
by Cecil E. Maranville
One of the most shocking developments in recent years was splashed across the headlines in late April: "Food Rationing Confronts Breadbasket of the World" (Josh Gerstein, New York Sun, April 21, 2008). Residents of New York City, as well as some in New England and on the U.S. West Coast found that they couldn't buy what they wanted of flour, rice and cooking oil. Major national food outlets Wal-Mart and Costco announced shortly thereafter that they would limit sales of some or all of these commodities.
That's not to imply Americans are about to go hungry, but there's nothing like a crisis at home to make the United States suddenly aware of the unfolding worldwide food emergency. The shortages that Americans face don't compare with the life of a North Korean citizen who now has to pay the equivalent of a day's wage for eggs—that is, for a single egg!
Nor is it as serious a crisis for the United States as it is for Japan, where 80 percent are frightened about the possibility of not being able to get the food they need.
That's right—Japan, one of the world's wealthiest nations. Virtually dependent upon food imports, it's been hammered by commodity shortages in the world food supply. Japan is now contemplating "...the shocking possibility of a long-term —perhaps permanent— reduction in the quality and quantity of its food" (Justin Norrie, "Japan's Hunger Becomes a Dire Warning for Other Nations," The Age, April 21, 2008, theage.com.au, emphasis added throughout).
Yet the crisis is having an effect on the United States, the world's food superpower. Writing about the increasing phenomenon of Americans stocking up in anticipation of food shortages, James Rawles, editor of SurvivalBlog.com, warns, "Even if people increased their purchasing by [only] 20%, all the store shelves would be wiped out" (Gerstein). That's how tight the situation is between production and inventory in the United States.
