Food

Quotes

The United Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has revealed that in the next 10 years food prices will remain well above the levels of the last decade. According to the report, rice, a staple for more than half the earth's population, will remain in short supply on global markets, and poor countries that rely on food imports could see food bills up 40 percent this year after a similar price hike in 2007.
- Abimbola Akosile, AllAfrica.com, 3 June 2008

Millions around the world are facing a future of insecurity, starvation and malnutrition as the price of basic food soars. The price of maize, wheat, soya beans and rice – staples for the majority of the world’s population – have more than doubled in the last few years. Food statistics:

• 400% – Rise in the price of spring wheat over the last year
• 75% – Average world food price rise since 2005
• 16 million more people at risk of food insecurity for every percentage point rise in the price of staple foods
• 33% – Amount of maize harvested in US this year that will go to produce biofuels

- Intelligence Daily, 27 February 2008

Nationally, the number of people using food stamps in the USA is due to reach 28 million by next year.
- Charles Bogle, WSWS, 6 June 2008

Federated Farmers says New Zealanders may have seen the end of cheap food with the biggest jump in the price of fertiliser ever - superphosphate is going up $210 a tonne - a massive 77 percent increase. Federated Farmers President Charlie Pedersen says there is no way around food becoming increasingly expensive.
- TV3, 5 June 2008

New Zealand farmers are about to be hit by the nation's biggest fertiliser price rises on record, with superphosphate jumping by $210/tonne. One of New Zealand's two biggest fertiliser companies, the Ballance cooperative today signaled a 77% lift in its Superten superphosphate price to $480/tonne, up from $270. Products such as sulphur have increased by as much as 400 per cent in a year.
- Stuff.co.nz, 5 June 2008

After decades of cheap, plentiful, accessible food, we have suddenly awoken to a new era of tightening food supplies, rising food prices, food scarcity, panic buying, long food queues and political instability - what some people are calling peak food. Industrial agriculture is heavily dependent on oil - at every point in the food chain - for fertiliser, pesticides, to drive machinery and transport the food. It takes about 10 calories of fossil fuel energy to produce, process and transport a single calorie of food. Shipping and fertiliser costs have doubled in the past year.

New Zealand is in danger of becoming a cash crop nation – producing dairy and to a lesser extent meat for export - while other sectors are being eroded by cheap imports. We import 2.8 million tonnes of food each year - bananas from Ecuador, garlic from China, wheat from Australia - and our imports are growing every year.

In the 1980’s before we removed subsidies, New Zealand was self sufficient in wheat. But now we import 75% of the wheat we eat, which makes us vulnerable to skyrocketing wheat prices. Our once flourishing garlic industry has been decimated by cheap garlic from China and now there are only 3-4 left in Marlborough, and they are struggling. We import 45% of the pork we consume, and our pig farmers are struggling. We import so much cheap canned fruit and jam that very little of that is made in New Zealand anymore, and on it goes. And then we have the absurd situation where Talleys is gutting some species of fish at its local factory, then exporting them to China for re-processing, and then returning them to New Zealand for sale.

In NZ in the year to March 2008 butter increased in price by 82%, and cheese went up by 44%. These prices are putting healthy food out of reach of many New Zealanders.
- Sue Kedgley MP, Farmers Market Conference Marlborough, 30 May 2008

Even in New Zealand, rice importers in Auckland are starting to ration supplies. What’s different about the fast engulfing global food shortage is that it is likely to be ongoing, not temporary, which the world hasn’t experienced before. Great swathes of agricultural land are being converted to growing crops for energy rather than food. While the rush for biofuels explains the surge in demand, one of the underlying causes is the rising cost of oil. As oil prices climb, so too does the price of food, as industrial agriculture is heavily dependent on oil –at every point in the food chain - for fertiliser, pesticides, to drive machinery and transport the food.
- Sue Kedgley MP, Green Party, 7 May 2008

Three days is the average food supply around the modernized world, i.e. for cities and their supermarkets.
- Jan Lundberg, IntelDaily, 23 June 2008

The cost of fuel for transport has significant effects on retail food prices. We are told by economists that it is more efficient to produce food in an enormous factory where economies of scale can keep the price of food manufacturing down. However, the economies of scale depend totally on the availability of cheap transport fuel which, as we have seen over the last few months, is all about to change.
- Professor Geoffrey Savage, Food Biochemist at Lincoln University, 17 October 2005

Rising prices will force a tectonic shift in the structure of the global economy by destroying the rationale for shipping many goods, such as food, over long distances. This is already happening. In the US, our local farms, ranches and dairies are booming.
- Matt Simmons, CEO Simmons & Company, TimesOnLine, 30 June 2008

Possible Solutions

Support Local Growers
- patronise farmers' markets
- buy as close to home as possible
- your support can encourage more local production
- locally grown means far fewer 'food miles' and fresher produce

Buy Organic
- or at least spray-free, wherever possible
- enhance your health by buying healthy food
- local organic means no oil-derived pesticides or fertilizers

Buy only when in Season
- do we really need to have summer vegetables and fruit all year round?
- enjoying produce only when they are in season is surely something to eagerly look forward to
- many vegetables, fruit and nuts can, however, also be successfully stored for months

Grow your Own
- this is surely the ultimate in taking charge your own food supply and quality
- if your gardening knowledge is a little rusty, check out your local library, perhaps consider a short course in Permaculture and chat with the friendly people at local garden centres and garden clubs
- could some of your lawn area be converted into garden (which won't require regular petrol-driven mowing)?
- for those short on space, a number of vegetables and herbs can be successfully grown in pots
- a very quick crop of greens can easily be produced by sprouting suitable seeds in the kitchen

Community Gardens - perhaps you can plan your gardening in conjunction with one or more neighbours - you grow the pumpkins and s/he grows potatoes (then rotate them the following year) - or, possibly there may be a vacant section in your area which several keep gardeners can get permission to plant out in a co-operative effort - in the USA Victory Gardens, planted in private residences to ease the pressure on the food supply during WWII, provided 40% of the nation's food - to ease the burden of trying to produce all your own food, you might like to participate in a community trading system, such as the Hawke's Bay Local Currency Community Exchange

 

Storage
- while it is suggested that steeply rising food prices are not just a temporary storm, to be weathered until things get back to 'normal', it may well be prudent to hold stocks of some of the basics (+ your own produce of course) to cope with short-term reductions in supply
- more than most of us will probably ever need to know about food storage can be found online here

Resources

These PDF documents will require that you have installed on your computer a PDF reader such as Adobe Reader, or the much more compact Foxit Reader, which can be freely downloaded from here. It is suggested that, rather than opening a document in your browser, you right mouse click on the button to the right, and elect to "Save target as ..." (Explorer) or "Save link as ... (Firefox).

Backyard Greenhouse "A greenhouse can be built easily and inexpensively in several hours using simple hand tools and materials available at most building supply stores. This publication presents plans and instructions for an easily constructed greenhouse that costs about $100 and may be used for many purposes ..." Beginner's Guide to Home Canning "Canning is probably the most economical and practical method of preserving food at home. Among other things it is a way to save food that otherwise might be wasted ..." Companion Planting "By using Companion Planting, many gardeners are discovering that they can discourage garden pests without harming helpful insects such as bees and ladybugs. Some herbs, through their odours or root secretions, will deter pests naturally. An added bonus is that these same herbs, planted as companions in your garden, will season the fruits and vegetables of your labour ..." Composting Bin "This composting unit is very flexible. It can be moved easily to turn a pile or to build a new one. Simply undo the latches, pull the sides apart, and move it. It can also be used as a stationary unit, and works well in small spaces ..." Container Herb Gardening "Don't use garden soil! Even the best garden soil is not the right choice for container growing. Though it may seem nutrient-rich and well-balanced, garden soil is always a problem. It will not provide adequate drainage and usually contains disease organisms, bacteria, and weed seeds ..." Container Vegetable Gardening "Container gardening is a simple and fun way to grow edible crops in just about any situation. Even if you have an in-ground vegetable garden you may find it desirable to have edible containers of herbs and salad greens near the kitchen door. This fact sheet has the basic information you’ll need ..." Drying Foods "Successful dehydration depends upon a slow steady heat supply to assure that food is dried from the inside to the outside. Drying is also an inexact art. Size of pieces, relative moisture, and the method selected all affect the time required to dehydrate a food adequately ..." Emergency Grain Mill "The grain mill described here can efficiently pound whole-grain wheat, corn, etc., into meal and flour-thereby greatly improving digestibility and avoiding the diarrhoea and sore mouths that would result from eating large quantities of ungrounded grain ..." Freeze Drying at Home "You probably don't have a good vacuum chamber at home, but you almost certainly have a refrigerator. If you don't mind waiting a week you can experiment with freeze drying at home using your freezer ..." Greenhouse Gardening Tips "A greenhouse is not always a 'hot house', as it is sometimes called. Plants usually do their best at temperatures slightly lower and with a much higher humidity than is usually maintained in our houses. A small greenhouse can have its temperature regulated relatively easily ..." Growing Barrels of Potatoes "Cut up potatoes which have started to sprout, leaving an eye or more on each piece. Dry these out for two days in a cool, dry room. Then plant in a shallow layer of soil and compost in the bottom of the barrel. As the potatoes grow up, add more soil and compost ..." Growing Sprouts "If you're new to eating sprouts, don't make too much at first. Once you get the hang of it, you can start another jar three days after you start the first jar. The next jars will be ready after you finish eating the first batch ..." Home Vegetable Gardening "Growing fresh vegetables, herbs, or fruits provides a great sense of joy and accomplishment. A vegetable garden can also reduce the family’s food budget, and it can be a source of hard-to-find vegetables such as kohlrabi, Chinese cabbage, horseradish, salsify, and pak choi ..." Honey Bees and Beekeeping "Honey bees are one of the most well-known, popular and economically beneficial insects. For thousands of years, man has plundered honey bee colonies to get honey, bee larvae and beeswax. Now, honey bees are commonly kept in artificial hives ..." How to Clean a Fish "After the catching, or even the buying, there are a few steps between the lake and your plate. While not for the eternally queasy, cleaning a fish is not as messy as one might think. And don't worry about the guts. It's part of the full fishy experience ..." How to Make Organic Fertiliser "Organic fertilizers don't have to be expensive, since you can make your own. If you buy the components in bulk, you'll save even more! Recipe For Organic Fertiliser ..." Making a No-Till Garden "I think my gardens are beautiful. The heavy layers of mulch conserve moisture, hold weeds down, build the soil structure, and save the soil from eroding. The same benefits farmers get from no-till farming ..." Making Cheese at Home "Cheese is basically milk, culture and rennet. All cheese will be white unless you colour it. I never do this, as it is totally unnecessary. The different kinds of cheese are a result of the type of culture used, temperature control and cooking time ..." Outdoor Oven "This primitive 'kitchen range is often used in survival skills training programs given to missionaries who intend to set up housekeeping among native tribes far from civilization. Therefore, the practical cooker/baker could serve nicely in any remote area where supplies are scarce ..." Raised Bed Gardening "Raised bed gardens offer several advantages over conventional gardening plots. Soil raised above ground level warms up more quickly in the spring, which allows for earlier planting dates. These beds are usually filled with high-quality soil which improves drainage and increases yield ..." Saving Seeds "Be sure the seeds are perfectly dry so they don't mould. Store them in tightly capped small bottles, in a cool place. Most seeds need a "rest period" of one to several months before they will germinate. After that, germination can be tested by soaking 10 seeds, draining them, and spreading them between layers of moist cloth ..." Seed Starting "It is often necessary to start many vegetable plants indoors to allow adequate time for the plants to bear fruit. The first stage of successful gardening begins with the proper starting of vegetable bedding plants ..." Self-Watering Sprout Cabinet "This sprout box, which has overall dimensions of 16-1/2" x 16-1/2" x 41", can accommodate up to four 2" x 9-5/8" x 13-3/4" wire mesh bottomed trays, each of which can be layered with as much as two cups (about one pound) of raw, pre-soaked seeds ..." Small Chicken House "Small scale poultry coops seem to be built in almost every possible shape and size. Those building a new coop often ask for plans for the perfect chicken coop. However, few plans for small poultry houses are available. Many existing buildings can easily be adapted to accommodate poultry ..." Small Smokehouse "The smokehouse described here is suitable for smoking small quantities of meat safely and economically ..." Solar Box Cooker "Experiments in Seattle and Arizona have proven that solar box cookers can be built more simply than even the simple method we have been using. These discoveries have paved the way for a simpler construction method that allows a cooker to be built in a few hours for very little money ..." Solar Food Dehydrator "Made from two cardboard boxes, some clear plastic wrap, and a little tape. You can build a nearly free solar dehydrator. Set it on a stool or chair and face it's solar collector towards the sun, and you have a functional food preservation machine for little work and even less money ..." Sound Gardening and Watering "Proper watering is essential to a healthy garden. A plant is 7540% water. Water is necessary for all internal plant functions such as: photosynthesis and the transportation of nutrients. If water is applied at the proper times in correct amounts, it is possible to conserve it ..." Tandoor Cooker "Step One: The first stage is to find yourself an old oil drum and cut the top off. Then burn out any oily residue that may be remaining inside. Once you have a clean container, you are ready to put the casters on ..." The Hobo Stove "The air flows in the bottom hole, and the aerodynamics of the can suck the exhaust out of the top holes. This forms a vicious through draught, and the fire burns almost white hot in a strong wind! It also uses very little fuel ..." Using and Storing Honey "Honey can be used in many ways. It makes a good spread for breads, muffins and biscuits and a tasty sandwich filling when mixed with dried fruits, peanut butter or cottage cheese. Honey can be used as a sweetener for fruits and beverages. It also can be used in any food that is sweetened ..." Water Distillation Principles "Distillation is an effective process and, what's more important, it can be done with a lot of improvisation. You can heat water with whatever is at hand: fire, electricity, or whatever. You can use almost anything that holds water for a boiler, as long as you can direct the steam into a cooler ..."