Ann Myatt JamesPenn State University

Dawn DrakeUniversity of Tennessee

Hunger remains a problem in the US Why is there hunger?

◦ No root cause◦ Often emerges as a problem of individuals/households

who lack access to financial resources

To whom do hungry people turn?◦ Government and non-government assistance programs

But…cash resources may be becoming increasingly important

…for both individuals and institutions

What does global climate change have to do with hunger and institutions?

Brief history◦ Key Concepts:

Hunger: The uneasy or painful sensation resulting from a prolonged, involuntary lack of access to food (Bickel et al., 2000; Nord et al., 2007)

Food Security: Individuals who are unable to obtain “physical and economic access to enough food to lead a healthy and active life” (Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA, 1999).

Current Conversations in US◦ Occurring within 2 groups

Anti-Hunger Community Food Security

Anti-Hunger:◦ Social policy, economics, sociology, health sciences◦ Hunger seen as a problem of

individuals/households◦ Individuals and households need to access and

obtain food resources◦ Talk about individual/household diets, cooking

abilities, and other risk factors ◦ Discussions are home-centered & people-centered;

do not think about changes occurring globally & in the natural environment

Community Food Security:◦ Community of activists, researchers, and educators

representing urban food interests, farmland preservation, sustainable agriculture, rural development (and more)

◦ Hunger seen as problem of communities ◦ Talk about long-term solutions, food access, self-

production, local/regional food systems, empowering community members

◦ Discussions use “whole systems” thinking; think about social and ecological systems

◦BUT conversation are limited to community scale NOT within a global environmental context

http://www.globaled.org.nz/gecnews/2005/oct/images/cartoonbook_000.JPG

Costs of treatment, culling, and lost milk Decreased production and components (casein, lactose,

calcium, starter enzymes) Shorter shelf life, strange tastes, discoloring $1.7 billion per year in United States $1 in prevention increases production by $5

In the short-run, farmers absorb most of the costs of increased SCC

In the long-run, however, costs will be felt by both the farmer and the consumer

Discarded milk Lost marketability Premature culling Lack of access to incentives provided by milk buyers

Decreased farm profits

vs.

Long-run Costs to FarmersLong-run Costs to Farmers

Increasing costs for milk and dairy products◦ Milk buyers pay higher premiums to farmers◦ Decreasing supply ◦ Boutique products

Governmental Programs◦ Increasing Costs:

For basic dietary necessities Entitlement programs (FSP and school breakfast/lunch) adjusted

annually for inflation Non-entitlement programs (WIC), not necessarily adjusted for inflation

but price increases affect costs of food Due to increased rates of participation

Assuming current/historical US wage trends

Non-Governmental Programs◦ Increasing Costs:

For basic dietary necessities: Increasing costs of production often results in fewer

federally donated agricultural surpluses Declines in food donations as food processors work to

increase manufacturing efficiencies Declines in food donations as retail outlets increase sales

of damaged or unwanted products May cause programs to have to purchase foodstuffs at

increased, retail prices Due to increased rates of participation

Assuming current/historical US wage trends

What happens when we feed cars instead of cows? Alternative dairy products? What can we learn from the experiences of the energy

sector? What are the short-term and long-term effects of rising

food prices on US food assistance institutions?