The sad, sad corn — we've all seen the pictures of the drought of 2012. In a normal world of food, this would be bad only for those who like corn. However, since corn is such a dominant force from chips to soft drinks to meat to ethanol, American consumers will be paying more for food that can be tied back to corn.
The stories we have read in the last few months can only warn us what the food world might look like. The impact of the drought will stretch to 2013 and beyond, unless next year is significantly better.
This might seem a boon for grass-fed animals. The drought affects grass but not in the same way corn is affected. And the price of corn is tied into subsidies, crop insurance, and the monoculture that corn has become in the food growing landscape. Even if meat goes up in price, grass-fed beef will still be more expensive. The price difference likely won't be close enough for those on the fence to make the jump to grass-fed beef. Some might try out grass-fed beef when they otherwise wouldn't go for it.
Relying on local farmers and growing your own food can protect against the effects of the drought. Yes, your local farmer has been suffering as well — e.g., the Michigan fruit crop — but by growing a number of different products, some produce will do better than others. Those who rely on corn — a lot of farmers — will be hurting.
Even if we spin some good news from this farm disaster, food prices going up puts pressure on families and individuals in times where a lot of people are still struggling to eat. People might be healthier by eating less meat and corn-related products, but chances are food consumption habits won't drop too dramatically. People still have to eat, and will likely pay more for food, finding some other way to make ends, er, meet.
Americans love to complain about the cost of food, even if they pay very low amounts compared to the rest of the world. Soon, they'll be forlorn, wishing back to the good ol' days … of 2008.
If the climate change is producing this type of weather pattern, this is only the beginning of what will be more sad pictures of corn. Even as we hate the dominance of corn in the food supply, this will make a significant impact on how people view the food supply for years to come.
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