La Via Campesina Leads Struggle for Food Sovereignty at the European Social Forum
The big international peasant network, Via Campesina, with presence in all the continents, has had a strong participation at the European Social Forum in Malmö, Sweden, as it has so far done in all the international meetings where it has coordinated with other social networks as part of their struggle for justice and food sovereignty.
Pouring Fuel on the Food
July 29, 2008
By Eric Holt-Giménez,
Executive Director, Food First/Institute for Food and Development Policy
Reports of a recently-leaked World Bank paper indicating agrofuels contribute up to 75% to food price inflation contrasts with the shifting figures presented by the USDA; 2% or 10%, depending on who is talking that day. However, for people living on less than $2 a day, any figure between these wide-ranging estimates is enough to push them from malnutrition to starvation. For the poor, a pinch of agrofuels is as bad as a pound.
Baker's March on Washington to Protest Wheat Prices
Bakers March on Washington to Protest Rising Wheat Prices
"Members of the Executive Committee of the National Association of Master Bakers met here today to consider means of dealing with the sharp advance in the price of flour, almost 100 per cent, which, it was declared, is driving many small bakers into bankruptcy.”
-- Chicago Tribune, Sept. 6, 1916
Food price increases—who gets hurt and what can be done about it
by Miguel A. Altieri, University of California, Berkeley
Food prices are increasing by the day, countries are cutting trade in some basic grains, and food riots, marches, and protests are happening in countries around the world. Is agriculture at a crossroads? Are the world’s 1.5 billion hectares of farmlands sufficient to feed us, the animals we consume… and also produce agrofuels for our industrial way of life?
Recently adopted U.S. and the E.U. renewable energy standards are contributed to rapidly rising prices for both land and food. Concerns about
Tax Dollars Fueling Food Prices: Your Rebate has already been spent!
If you are a typical family of four, your food bill likely increased by about $2,400 last year. Why?
FACT: Ethanol is helping drive food prices out of control without lowering the price of gas – Corn planted for ethanol competes for farmland with corn for food production and with other food crops. This drives up the price of all food crops, especially those that contain corn products—which is most of our processed food. Meat is more expensive because our beef cattle eat corn, not grass. Food prices have increased by 25% over last year! Gas prices still went up by 80%...
FACT: Our taxes are used to increase food costs - Without government mandates and subsidies, the ethanol industry would collapse. Last year subsidies for ethanol and biodiesel reached between $5.5 and $7.3 billion. We are paying to have our food prices go up!
FACT: Record high food prices hurt families – A moderate food budget for a family of four costs an average of $46 more per week this year than last. Even if you receive a $600 tax rebate this year, the money won't come close reimbursing your extra food costs due to ethanol production.
Tell the government to stop subsidizing higher food prices! How?
- Call your congressperson: www.congress.org
- Sign the moratorium on ethanol and other agriculturally derived fuels at ga3.org/campaign/agrofuelsmoratorium