Food security.

You’ve probably heard about it, but just what is it? In its backward logic, the USDA defines food Insecurity as meaning “consistent access to adequate food limited by lack of money and other resources at times of the year.” Say What? They go on to say that food insecurity is the most broadly-used measure of food deprivation in the U.S.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) defines food Security thusly, “A situation that exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.” Now, don’t we wish that were true for the world’s 8 billion and growing population?

Think about it, though. Food security means everyone, everywhere has access to adequate food, etc., etc. In my opinion, that just ain’t going to happen any time soon. But enough of this gustatory frivolity.

Food security is a problem for not just the developing countries of the world, but also right here in the good, old U.S. of A. Its cause according to some experts, is our old friend, global warming, and its handmaiden, climate change. How is it possible for “experts” to make such a dramatic conclusive leap from food security or insecurity to global warming?

The reasoning seems to be that global warming is causing the atmosphere to heat up. Agriculture is using more H2O, exacerbating the depletion of lakes and aquifers, etc., further exacerbating global warming. Cattle raising is often viewed as a global warming culprit with its use of 2 gallons of water for every 100 pounds of the animal’s body weight every day of its life. That’s 1,847 gallons of water, give or take, to produce one pound of edible beef. Of course, we can argue until the cows come home about just how much water is really used to produce one pound of beef. Suffice it to say that it’s a lot and it bends the arc of credible animal agriculture sustainability.

If it isn’t sustainable, does that mean animal agriculturalists like us will go out of business? I suppose the animal activists would applaud such a result, but in reality, less animal protein for the world’s hungry to consume is a disaster waiting to happen. Please remember that as countries move up the food chain, animal protein becomes a larger and larger part of their diet. We simply cannot replace animal protein with a vegan diet, not to mention substituting a plant-based protein diet in quantities sufficient to satiate the world’s inhabitants.

But why is food security or insecurity our problem to solve?

Because we in the meat and poultry industry cannot let ourselves be forced out of business by something we can change and correct. That’s right, we can make a difference for the better to stem a deteriorating climate with its resultant global warming. How so? What about things like a seaweed derivative that when consumed by ruminant animals, dampens their belching of methane. And, as you know methane on a short term basis is worse for our protective atmosphere than carbon dioxide. While ruminant consumption of seaweed may not solve global warming, for us it can be a significant game changer. Don’t cast it aside as so much hyperbole; it is real and we need to research it and other forms of atmosphere improving actions.

And, there so much more we can do, isn’t there? We simply have to marshal our resources and collective will to find more global warming remedies. I don’t know what they are, but scientists do or will if we encourage them to do so. And, by encourage I mean monetarily incentivize them to do so.

My point is that food security is real right now for us and for others around the world and our industry can do something about it. Human beings cannot access enough food to satisfy their needs in many parts of the world. And that, my friends, is food insecurity.

Our incentive to help solve this problem is that we stay in business and contribute to an improving environment.

Are there any better reasons to do so?

Food security — It’s our problem to help solve

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