Basic HTML Version
RECORD DROUGHT
and
WEAI11ER...
justWhen Bumper Crops
AreNot Enough
by
Donald D. Schroeder
"Food will be in the 1980s what oil became in t he 1970s- scarce and expensive!"
S
UDDENLY,
there are no
great sur–
pluses
of
grai n
stocks
1n
the
world.
' 'We moved from
su r plus to scarcity
with one fell swoop,"
So warns a leading food commodities analyst.
Cochrane, "and they're
going through the roof
if the weather's dry
again."
Are we willing to
heed this warning and
correct the causes now
leading to this unprece–
dented shortage in
food?
said W illard Coch-
Why Bumpe r Cr ops Are
rane, University of
Not Enough
M innesota agricu ltu-
A conference of food
ral economist.
experts met late last
Mr. Cochrane warns
year in Washington,
unless weather is good
D.C. They agreed the
over much of the
United States can no
United States this
longerbethebreadbas-
year- and it clearl y
ket of the world. Chart
hasn't been good in
~
after chart produced
many areas for many
.~
by the conferees
months- by autumn
1
showed that world food
grain stockpiles wi ll
~
demand is outstripping
fall to little more than
&
anyth ing the United
a month 's supply at
L-------......;..---~~;.o.;,....-....;...._-.-!:.-;,;;¡;,;,.....__.;;...;.;~-.:..J o
States can produce-
present draw down rates.
the United States will be able to
even with record or bumper
That is ominous!
build up huge grain stocks
crops.
Furthermore, in the face of again.
Texas Agricultura! Commis-
soaring world demand for U.S.
..We're looking at inflation
sioner Reagan Brown concurs:
grains, food officials doubt that
driven by food prices," says Mr.
"We need 1981 to be a good crop
April 1981
5