Corn Commentary

Food Security

A new report out this week from USDA shows that over 85 percent of American households have enough – or more than enough – to eat. As a nation, we are food secure.

That’s the good news. The bad news is that almost 15 percent are reportedly some level of “food insecure” – which sounds like some type of psychological condition, but according to USDA means families that “had difficulty putting enough food on the table at times during the year.”

There is frankly no excuse for anyone in this country to go hungry, ever – much less 17 million households with children. That’s some 49 million people. That’s the most since 1995, when the USDA conducted its first survey on food insecurity and 29 percent higher than the previous record in 2004. USDA says, “The fundamental cause of food insecurity and hunger in the United States is poverty – marked by a lack of adequate resources to address basic needs such as food, shelter and health care.”

I don’t believe that. We have more than abundant resources in this nation to feed those who are without the means to feed themselves. The resources are there, if people are “food insecure” it is because they are not taking advantage of those resources.

We produce more than enough food for everyone to eat. Any child who attends a public school in this country should never be hungry. And the fact of the matter is that even the 15 percent who are classified as “food insecure” in our nation have more to eat than the poor in other nations.

As Thanksgiving approaches, we should be thankful for the food security of our nation and reach out to those who may be “insecure” to make sure they take advantage of the resources available to help them. No one should ever go hungry in this country. It is our job as citizens and fellow human beings to feed those in need. Give to a local homeless shelter or Samaritan center or soup kitchen. There are people who are experiencing loss of jobs and income and we should help them as individuals, companies, organizations and governments.

We should also be thankful that this year’s Thanksgiving dinner is even more affordable than last year, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. AFBF’s 24th annual informal price survey of classic items found on the Thanksgiving Day dinner table found the average cost of this year’s feast for 10 is $42.91, a $1.70 price decrease from last year’s average of $44.61. That’s four percent less than a year ago.

There is no excuse for anyone going hungry in the United States but we should be very thankful for the great abundance of affordable food brought to us by our farmers and ranchers. Spread the word by using the Give Thanks signature on your email this month, or just by giving Thanks every time you eat a meal. We are indeed blessed.