topic Re: Food Supply Concerns in Community Chat

Food Supply Concerns

On It — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 13:43:49 GMT

While researching how vulnerable we have become to disruptions in our food supply chain, I reaffirmed what I already knew that 4 companies are responsible for 84% of the slaughter of beef in the United States. I then stumbled into the fact that the world's food supply across all categories is controlled by 10 or 11 companies. My lack of computer skills prevent me from posting the charts I saw, but they are frightening.

We are at the mercy of 15 or 16 companies for everything from food to toothpaste. No wonder prices can rise so easily, packaging shrinks in size, fewer choices are in the marketplace, and quality declines. These companies have acquired smaller companies over time and basically have swallowed up their competitors like the giant whales they are.

The United States once had anti-trust laws that were enforced. Today those laws are not being addressed. Our security and safety are at risk. We are being boiled like the proverbial frog. These acquisitions have taken place over periods of time effectively turning up the heat until the frog is cooked. We need to turn this thing around before it is to late.

Re: Food Supply Concerns

ThinkingOutLoud — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 14:37:40 GMT

It doesn't help that Bill Gates now owns most of the US farmland. Hope people are aware of the falsehoods he believes and why him owning so much farmland is such a big problem.

Re: Food Supply Concerns

Still Raining — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 15:26:26 GMT

@ThinkingOutLoud wrote:
It doesn't help that Bill Gates now owns most of the US farmland. Hope people are aware of the falsehoods he believes and why him owning so much farmland is such a big problem.

Where I live farms are a hot topic.

Think total US farmland is over 900,000,000 acres.

Are you asserting that he owns "most" or more than 450,000,000 acres?

Really???

Re: Food Supply Concerns

SeaMaiden — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 15:28:41 GMT

more scare mongering... just stop please. Will not hurt Americans to eat less meat anyway.

Re: Food Supply Concerns

Teddixat — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 15:34:47 GMT

@ThinkingOutLoud That is simply not true. Where did you get such information. The Catholic Church and Queen Elizabeth own the most. You can find it easily by research

Re: Food Supply Concerns

catter70 — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 15:35:35 GMT

Where I live, farmers are selling to builders. I'm surrounded by warehouses and transfer stations and new housing. I saw on the new this mornings that our beef slaughter house's computers systems have been hacked and prices will sky rocket.

Re: Food Supply Concerns

RhondaRena — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 15:38:04 GMT

This is a very justifiable concern. My father owned grocery stores for several years and I am very informed on the supply chain. Our country has had two years of less crop yields and have exported heavily. Inflation is coming and there is less supply. Crops are also stuggling in some areas due to drought this season.

We added to our garden beds and are trying to grow more and support a local farm. I don't think anyone should stick their head in the sand on this issue.

Re: Food Supply Concerns

Johnnyeager — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 15:51:46 GMT

The USDA reports about 915 million acres of farmland.

The Gates land portfolio consists of about 270,000 acres, all uses.

Re: Food Supply Concerns

stevieb — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 15:52:22 GMT

Conglomerates have long been an increasing problem but as long as they can afford to buy, uh, 'exemptions' they'll continue to be so...

Re: Food Supply Concerns

lovesrecess — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 16:01:58 GMT

Are you referring to the cyberattack of JBS?

Re: Food Supply Concerns

deepwaterdotter — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 16:02:09 GMT

@Johnnyeager wrote:
The USDA reports about 915 million acres of farmland.

The Gates land portfolio consists of about 270,000 acres, all uses.

Yeah, I don't view him as a threat to anything but his personal reputation.

Re: Food Supply Concerns

Susan Louise — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 16:05:35 GMT

As far as food shrinking...that has been happening for decades...nothing new. I remember about when it started in the early 70's? Maybe even earlier than that...

I remember way back when...1 lb coffee cans weren't 16 oz anymore.

Re: Food Supply Concerns

lovesrecess — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 16:07:07 GMT

Eating less beef isn’t a bad thing... it not being able to due to the supply of it being taken away is another. There is a domino effect when one part of a supply chain is Impacted. Farmers cannot sell corn as cattle feed if there are no cattle to be raised for beef, etc. The cyber attacks know they can harm the US without ever firing a single shot...Just attack our food, fuel, or energy supplies via hacking.

Re: Food Supply Concerns

bonnielu — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 16:07:45 GMT

Scary. In our case we don't eat beef. But I am sure next time around it will be something else.

Re: Food Supply Concerns

On It — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 16:23:14 GMT

@SeaMaiden wrote:
more scare mongering... just stop please. Will not hurt Americans to eat less meat anyway.

This is not about just the meat supply. It is about every food product in all categories. Please be aware of what has happened.

Re: Food Supply Concerns

Mz iMac — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 17:08:28 GMT

There's always........

Re: Food Supply Concerns

Susan Louise — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 17:10:49 GMT

@SeaMaiden wrote:
more scare mongering... just stop please. Will not hurt Americans to eat less meat anyway.

@SeaMaiden I could not disagree more.

Re: Food Supply Concerns

Scorpio1971 — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 17:11:54 GMT

@On It

I am more worried about our water resources & power grid being disrupted.

Re: Food Supply Concerns

MildredM — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 17:29:27 GMT

@Susan Louise wrote:
As far as food shrinking...that has been happening for decades...nothing new. I remember about when it started in the early 70's? Maybe even earlier than that...
I remember way back when...1 lb coffee cans weren't 16 oz anymore.

Right, I remember my Mom and neighbor ladies being livid at the change. I was in high school at the time.

Re: Food Supply Concerns

ALRATIBA — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 17:31:53 GMT

Google: "cows and climate change."

It's all a plan by the climate change folks to eliminate cows - and banning beef..

From UC Davis website:

Shrinking livestock’s carbon hoofprint worldwide is a big challenge. Livestock are responsible for 14.5 percent of global greenhouse gases.

Cows and climate change | UC Davis