Washington, D.C.----Soaring
temperatures and low precipitation could not occur at a worse time for
many farmers in the United States. Intensifying drought conditions are
affecting corn and soybean crops throughout the Midwest, raising grain
prices as well as concerns about future food prices. The U.S. Drought
Monitor reports that 88 percent of this year's corn crop and 77 percent
of the soybean crop are now affected by the most severe drought since
1988. The U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) is providing drought assistance to 1,584 counties
across 32 states and warns of increased food prices in 2013 as a result
of corn and soybean yield losses.
Corn is currently
selling at around $9 a bushel, a 50 percent increase from June, while
soybeans are selling at a record high of $17 a bushel as a result of
drought-related losses in crop yields. "The increased prices may benefit farmers in the short run," said Danielle Nierenberg, director of the Worldwatch Institute's Nourishing the Planet project, "but
consumers will experience the aftermath of price increases in the form
of more money spent on poultry, beef, pork, and dairy products."
Nearly half of all
domestic corn production is used as livestock feed, a trend that is now
encouraging larger livestock producers to import corn from Brazil while
smaller farmers must reduce herd sizes by sending more animals to the
market. Most immediately, poultry prices are expected to rise 3.5 to 4.5
percent due to the animals' more rapid growth and therefore more sudden
response to higher feed prices. The price of beef is projected to rise
the highest----4 to 5 percent by November----but at a slower rate, reflecting the longer growth period and higher feed requirements of beef cattle.
Higher U.S. grain
prices could have an even greater impact worldwide. The United States is
the world's largest corn producer as well as a major exporter of
crop-derived agricultural products. Declining domestic production could
translate into exacerbated food security problems abroad. Countries that
import corn and soybean byproducts or animal feed, such as Japan and
Mexico, will be affected the most.
Climate change
is making it increasingly important to protect local agriculture in the
United States and address the issues underlying its vulnerability to
natural disasters, such as drought. "Fixing our broken food system is
about more than just food prices," said Nierenberg. "It's about better
management of natural resources, equitable distribution, and the right
to healthy and nutritious food."
The Nourishing the Planet (
www.NourishingthePlanet.org)
project highlights 12 agricultural innovations that can help make U.S.
and global agriculture more drought resilient, as well as sustainable.
1. Agroforestry: Planting
trees in and around farms reduces soil erosion by providing a natural
barrier against strong winds and rainfall. Tree roots also stabilize and
nourish soils. The 1990 Farm Bill established the USDA National
Agroforestry Center with the expressed aim of encouraging farmers to
grow trees as windbreaks or as part of combined forage and livestock
production, among other uses.
2. Soil management:
Alternating crop species allows soil periods of rest, restores
nutrients, and also controls pests. Soil amendments, such as biochar,
help soils retain moisture near the surface by providing a direct source
of water and nutrients to plant roots, even in times of drought.
3. Increasing crop diversity: Mono-cropping
often exposes crops to pests and diseases associated with overcrowding,
and can increase market dependence on a few varieties: in the United
States, almost 90 percent of historic fruit and vegetable varieties have
vanished in favor of mono-cultured staples such as Pink Lady apples and
Yukon Gold potatoes. Encouraging diversity through agricultural
subsidies and informed consumption choices can help reverse this trend
and the threat it poses to domestic food security.
4. Improving food production from existing livestock: Improved
animal husbandry practices can increase milk and meat quantities
without the need to increase herd sizes or associated environmental
degradation. In India, farmers are improving the quality of their feed
by using grass, sorghum, stover, and brans to produce more milk from
fewer animals. This also reduces pressure on global corn supplies.
5. Diversifying livestock breeds: Most
commercial farming operations rely on a narrow range of commercial
breeds selected for their high productivity and low input needs.
Selective breeding, however, has also made these breeds vulnerable to
diseases and changing environments. Lesser-known livestock such as North
American Bison are often hardier and produce richer milk.
6. "Meatless Mondays":
Choosing not to eat meat at least one day a week will reduce the
environmental impacts associated with livestock as well as increase food
availability in domestic and global markets. Current production methods
require 7 kilograms of grain and 100,000 liters of water for every 1
kilogram of meat. Livestock production accounts for an estimated 18
percent of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions and roughly 23 percent
of agricultural water use worldwide.
7. Smarter irrigation systems:
The Ogallala High Plains Aquifer, which supplies essential groundwater
to many Midwestern states, is experiencing record rates of depletion due
to extraction for irrigation purposes. Almost 50 percent of commercial
and residential irrigation water, however, is wasted due to evaporation,
wind, improper design, and overwatering. Installing water sensors or
micro-irrigation technology and planning water-efficient gardens or
farms using specific crops and locations can significantly reduce water
scarcity problems.
8. Integrated farming systems:
Farming systems, such as permaculture, improve soil fertility and
agricultural productivity by using natural resources as sustainably and
efficiently as possible. Research and implementation of permaculture
techniques, such as recycling wastewater or planting groups of plants
that utilize the same resources in related ways, are expanding rapidly
across the United States.
9. Agroecological and organic farming:
Organic and agroecological farming methods are designed to build soil
quality and promote plant and animal health in harmony with local
ecosystems. Research shows that they can increase sustainable yield
goals by 50 percent or more with relatively few external inputs. In
contrast, genetic engineering occasionally increases output by 10
percent, often with unanticipated impacts on crop physiology and
resistance.
10. Supporting small-scale farmers:
Existing agricultural subsidies in the United States cater
disproportionately to large-scale agribusinesses, 80 percent of which
produce corn for animal feed and ethanol. This means that small-scale
producers are affected more acutely by natural disasters and fluctuating
commodity prices, even though they are more likely to be involved in
food production. Government extension and support services should be
adjusted to alleviate this deficit.
11. Re-evaluating ethanol subsidies:
Although ethanol's share of U.S. gasoline is still relatively small
(projected at 15-17 percent by 2030), in 2009 the Congressional Budget
Office reported that increased demand for corn ethanol has, at times,
contributed to 10-15 percent of the rise in food prices. Encouraging
clean energy alternatives to crop-based biofuels will increase the
amount of food available for consumption, both at home and abroad.
12. Agricultural Research and Development (R&D): The
share of agricultural R&D undertaken by the U.S. public sector fell
from 54 percent in 1986 to 28 percent in 2009, and private research has
filled the gap. Private companies, however, are often legally bound to
maximize economic returns for investors, raising concerns over
scientific independence and integrity. Increased government funding and
support for agricultural research, development, and training programs
can help address issues such as hunger, malnutrition, and poverty
without being compromised by corporate objectives.
Although food prices
will certainly continue to rise as the current drought runs its course,
it is clear that the United States has the knowledge and the know-how to
make its agricultural system more sustainable and food secure. It's now
a question of putting these innovations to work.
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