Fall Upson Lecture Series Speaker

Finally!

Food For Thought is thrilled to announce that our Fall Upson Lecture Series speaker will be Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Dale Rodman!

The lecture will take place in the K-State Student Union Main Ballroom at 7 pm on November 5 - put it on your calendar!

Secretary Rodman will address pertinent issues surrounding the recent drought and how it has affected food production and the agriculture industry’s challenge of feeding the world. Furthermore, the impending increase in the cost of food, which affects families from all demographics, will be discussed at length. The lecture is free and open to the public and will be followed by a question and answer session.

We're very excited about this lecture - it promises to be a very informative evening that will highlight some very critical issues in the agriculture industry! 

Tell your friends and be sure to follow our Facebook page and twitter feed (@fftgroup) for updates and information. If you have questions, feel free to post them in the comments section, tweet or Facebook us and we'll get back to you!

Does America Need a Fat Tax?

Dedicated readers,

Have any of you ever heard talk about state or federal governments putting in place a "fat tax"?

Our country has become the poster child for obesity in the modern world. While there are still around 1 billion people in the world that go to bed hungry, the USA and some other 1st world countries (I'm talking about you Australia and England!) are facing an obesity epidemic where, according to the 2010 WHO report, over 68% of the adult population is overweight and 34% are obese.

So.....what actions do we take to right the ship?

Some might argue that it is each person's own responsibility to maintain their health by eating better and exercising regularly. I think this is a logical thought process and everyone should be able to show a little restraint at the local all-you-can-eat $9.99 dinner buffet, or at least run a couple miles the next day to work it off.

However, some people have taken a different approach to possibly curtailing our intake of fatty, sugary and generally unhealthy foods. They argue that humans are unable to restrain themselves from eating the cheap, convenient, and often unhealthy foods that on-the-go Americans find themselves indulging in way too often. From a scientist's perspective, I find myself agreeing more and more with this argument because we are innately programmed through our sensory systems to prefer the foods that are more calorie-dense. To add even more credence to this, a 2002 study by Horgen and Brownell in the Journal of Health Psychology indicates that eating behavior may be more responsive to price increases than nutritional education.

Apart from the possible reduction in intake of unhealthy foods and drinks, a fat tax does offer some additional advantages. The tax revenue could be used to offset medical costs generated by obesity-linked health conditions, to improve nutrition education and to incentivize physical activity.

There are also many arguments against a fat tax. As a supporter of small government, I can appreciate those that don't want Big Brother involved in our food choices and telling us what we can and cannot eat. One of the most compelling arguments against is that a fat tax would be regressive, disproportionately affecting the poor. The poor typically rely more heavily on cheaper foodstuffs (typically those that are more highly processed and unhealthy such as fast food), and therefore some argue that a fat tax would be the equivalent of a tax on the poor.

One idea that I've had is that if we tax unhealthy foods, could we use the tax revenue as a way to subsidize healthy foods like fresh fruits, vegetables and lean meat so that food costs wouldn't increase as much?

The biggest hurdle regarding the implementation of a fat tax would be how to decide what foods and drinks would or wouldn't incur the tax. Perhaps we can wait and see what happens in Denmark, one of the only countries that has put a national tax on unhealthy foods.

If you have any input or thoughts on this topic, I would love to hear from you!

Thanks for reading,

Hyatt Frobose

Rain makes corn.... and is a good thing!

I've started off a rather somber post with a song - I hope you enjoy having it stuck in your head for the rest of the day - also, I LOVE the intro to this song. These farmers are really adamant about the critical role rain plays in food production.

Corn makes lots of other things besides whiskey by the way; cereals, baking powder, vegetable oil. You get the point.

As you've probably noticed, there hasn't been much rain in the midwest this year - or in general, actually. In fact, a report from the USDA as of August 1 highlighted pointed out the following sad facts:

- 65% of U.S. farms are in areas experiencing drought
- Severe or greater drought is impacting 65 pecent of cattle production, and about 75 percent of corn and soybean production.
- As of August 1, more than half of U.S. counties had been designated as disaster areas by USDA in 2012, mainly due to drought.

I live in God's country (Kansas) and we've needed rain badly for the past 2-3 months. In fact, the state of Kansas has placed all 105 counties into a drought emergency status and all but 3 Kansas counties have been declared a disaster. The good news is that it's supposed to rain tonight; the bad news is that when we really needed the rain, it was nowhere to be found.

In May, which is a very crucial time on the corn growing timeline (most corn is planted in late April), Kansas received a statewide average of 1.10 inches of rain. That's not very much to get good seedling growth started. June and July didn't treat us much better which has really had a negative effect on both corn and soybean growth.

For visual explanation let's look at this ear of corn

that came from this field near my hometown in Anderson County, Kansas. That's my husband's hand and that ear of corn is only about 4.5 inches long. This is a sad, sad sight for farmers.

Folks, it's August 8. Corn fields aren't supposed to look like this for another six weeks or so. There are just a few tiny specks of green in that field, some fields don't have any green in them and the corn stalks are half the height of this field.

Then compare to this ear of corn from Wood County, Ohio, where they've gotten  more rain this year than we Kansans- about 2.6 inches in May. That number is still a decrease from their normal precipitation but if you look at the difference that an inch of rain can have on a corn crop, that's a pretty important inch!

Here they are side by side - again, the corn from Ohio is on the left and although it's not near the size that farmers would like, it is better than our poor little Kansas ears.

            

So what does all of this rain and crop talk mean for you, the consumer? Unfortunately, food prices will likely increase in the long run and let me explain how.

Livestock producers (beef, pork) are having to cull their herds to avoid spending so much money on feeds. This could lead to a short-term increase in the meat supply which will lower costs. However, in the long run, once the shortage of corn and soybeans reaches the retail end (cornmeal, flour, cereal) we'll likely see an increase in grocery prices.

Furthermore, if producers are selling off parts of the herd now, they will have less to sell in 10-12 months which will probably lead to a long-term increase in meat prices.

So, if in the next 6 months you notice meat prices decrease only to increase again, please don't be upset with the farmer or grocery store. Farmers, especially livestock producers, are getting hit very hard this year. Many crop producers have insurance but that type of reassurance isn't available for beef, pork and poultry producers. They must feed their livestock regardless of feed prices because they're committed to utmost care for their animals. To read more about the strain on livestock producers and the perilous conditions that Mother Nature has created, you can read this blog post by pork producer, Chris Chinn.

We'd love to hear your thoughts and concerns about the drought or your situation. Leave us some comment love!

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

Will You Eat Beef in 2012?

I hope so. I know I will - I'm addicted and I know I'm not the only one. I live in a town with a very heavy population of farmers, farm kids and rural dwellers who are all very proud promoters of beef. Don't forget about the countless burger joints in Manhattan that are frequented by a hungry college town. However, with all the love we give beef, consumption is predicted to fall this year. Why? Instead of telling you, I'll just let you read this article.
Is Beef Still on the Table?

Within it you'll find scientific data to show that beef producers have become much more efficient with their natural resources. You'll also find out why beef consumption could decline, while pork and poultry are holding steady.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

Got home with organic bananas and I'm MAD!

On Tuesday I went shopping for a few necessities at the grocery store.

I like to shop systematically to keep me from wasting money on stuff I won't really eat. I start in the fresh produce where I picked up a bunch of very green bananas. I like it when they're green they last so much longer. Moved on to the dairy. Hit up the meat counter. You get the point.

When I was putting away my groceries, I noticed that my bananas had a sticker that said:

"CERTIFIED ORGANIC FRUIT"

I was ticked. I don't normally buy organic fruit and I have a few reasons why.

• I don't buy organic because I live in America and have so many choices for safe, wholesome and cheap food. I don't think that our food production system is perfect, but it's pretty darn good! I believe in the system that provides us with these choices, so I choose to support conventional production when possible.
• I don't buy organic because I know many farmers and producers personally and know that they care about the environment that our food is produced in. They have to be careful with everything that they are stewards for, from the air to the soil, water and produce.
• I don't buy organic because I know what pesticides are and they do what they say - control pests! Our government sets standards and controls for the use of pesticides in food production and the levels that are safe for even the youngest humans to consume! My dad is a farmer and he had to take a strenuous licensing exam in order to utilize pesticides on his farm.The person who advises him on pesticide decisions had to take about 10 of those exams.
• I don't buy organic because I understand the science behind it. When I see a recall or new labeling on food products I commonly purchase, I check it out from a reliable and scientific source. When dairy products boast they are produced from cows not treated with rBST, I know that BST is a naturally occurring protein hormone utilized in dairy production to increase milk production in cows so that more milk can be produced from the same number of cows. I also know that it's kind of sad that producers can't utilize this technology that helps keep milk prices lower for consumers because consumers demanded that it not be used anymore. I doubt many of the people who demanded that change in the industry knew that BST is species specific and does not change the hormone levels or affect growth in humans because it is a bovine hormone.
• I don't buy organic because I don't believe it is fair marketing. When people think organic they are thinking of small farms on the side of the road that are environmentally conscious and what not, right? A lot of organic produce is grown on huge corporate farms just like the conventional counterpart. When pests threaten to take over the crop, it is just transferred over to conventional practices and loses organic labeling rights. So it's basically the same thing, only pricier at times, so I don't choose to support it.

I was ticked about the bananas I got home with that were organic, but you'll notice that I didn't say I think organic food choices are wrong. Organic exists because people asked for it and that's what is so great about our food system in the US. YOU get to make the choice.


I have made mine and I have reasons why. Do you? Please feel free to share! I love to engage in dialogue about food choices and what drives people at the supermarket.

Best,

Tera

I thought the world was supposed to end in 2012.....

"Both the Hopis and the Mayans recognize that we are approaching the end of a World Age...in both cases, however, the Hopi and Mayan elders do not prophesy that everything will come to an end. Rather, this is a transition from one World Age into another." - Joseph Robert Jochmans


I definitely don't want anyone to take me for a person truly believes the world is going to end in 2012. However, I think many people may believe that the world could end tomorrow considering the onslaught of natural disasters that have ravaged Earth so far in 2011. The floods and cyclones we've seen here in Eastern Australia, the combination of wildfires and floods in the US, and the chilling aftermath of Japan's earthquakes have certainly made me wonder what the good Lord has in store for this world next.

These disasters have certainly taken a toll on world agriculture as well. For the three months I've been in Australia, I haven't eaten a banana yet because they're probably one of the most expensive fruits here, at a price of about $5.00 a pound since the crop in Queensland was almost wiped out. Then when I call home to Ohio, my dad still hasn't put a crop in the ground because the ground is saturated. With the supply of corn tighter than ever before, food prices across the board have risen over 3% since 2010, according to USDA statistics.

Even with these somber tones, I suppose there is a silver lining. I know that my wife and I, with our limited budget here in Australia, have really come to appreciate the cheap food costs we enjoyed back home in the US. We've learned to budget accordingly, and only treat ourselves to a rare meal away from home. When I talk to people in the US, they complain about rising food costs as well. I believe that in times and situations where food costs are high, each and every one of us gains a better appreciation for the 'good life' and the amazing food production system we have at our disposal in the United States. At least in the sense of food costs in the US, perhaps WE ARE looking at a New World Age, by joining countries like Australia that have to pay more for the food on their table.

Right, wrong, or inevitable, it's something to consider the next time you go to the store....

Bananaless in Australia,

Hyatt Frobose

Food Insecurity

Food insecurity is a major problem in the world and even in our country. I sometimes fall to the naivety that the US doesn't have as big of a hunger issue since we produce so much of the world's food supply.

What does it mean to be food insecure? The USDA puts it simply in saying that it is the lack of access to enough food to provide for a healthy and active lifestyle. Food insecure households are not necessarily always in such a state. In one family it could mean that during a month they had to make the choice to pay for medical bills rather than spending that money at the grocery store.

Feeding America is a pretty neat organization that is working to reduce the amount of food insecure people right here in America. With the Map the Meal Gap tool on their website you can see exactly how many people are food insecure in your home county. I think the numbers will actually surprise you in some cases!

The population is growing and this problem won't be easy to overcome. I choose to support agriculturists because they are working hard to feed the world.

Go check it out and tweet about the #mealgap interactive tool from your account! Remember to follow us on twitter also - @fftgroup

Best,

Tera

What are your thoughts?

We want your food for thought! Go to this article on the NYtimes and give us your thoughts in the comment box below.

I created the picture above using Wordle and it eliminated the common, meaningless words from the article to get a big picture of the topic and a neat typography image.

Foodie Feature: Hannah Hayes

If I could write like this, Food For Thought's vision would be plastered in every newspaper in the continental US. I encourage you to read what Ms. Hayes has to say, very few of us could've said it better. This letter to Chef Anthony Bordain is AMAZING!

http://www.voxmagazine.com/stories/2010/11/11/essay-open-letter-anthony-bourdain-chef-who-hates-/

Thanksgiving Dinner Costs a Little More this Year

A “classic” Thanksgiving dinner for 10 will cost $43.47 this year, up 56 cents, or 1.3%, from 2009, but down $1.14, or 2.6%, from 2008, according to an annual survey conducted by the American Farm Bureau Federation (A.F.B.F.). Still, that cost is just $4.34 a person. This is a reminder of how affordable food is in the U.S., especially when compared to per capita income. The cost of three of the thanksgiving dinner items decreased, eight increased and one was unchanged, according to the 12-item survey, which has been conducted annually since 1986. The survey price for a 16-lb turkey was $17.66, down 99 cents from last year. I think the turkey in the picture is much larger than this 16-lb size, but I had to share it anyways. Whoever eats it will likely get enough tryptophan to send them into hibernation. Green peas and frozen stuffing also decreased in price. The price of fresh cranberries remained the same. Items increasing in price included milk, cream, pumpkin pie mix, pie shells, sweet potatoes, rolls, carrots and celery. The cost of miscellaneous ingredients, such as coffee, onions, eggs, sugar, flour, evaporated milk and butter, needed to complete the meal was also considered. The survey, conducted by volunteer shoppers, is "an informal gauge of price trends around the nation,” according to the A.F.B.F.