Global food aid: We need help from the White House

At a news conference held in the Capitol, Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL), said this is the worst food crisis he can think of, and it is
not only a crisis about food, it’s about global security. The requested amount in US food aid, $550 million, is the same amount of
money that is spent daily in Iraq. He demonstrated the rioting taking place in other parts of the world by displaying large photos of Haiti and Egypt, plus a close up photo of villagers in Mahboobmagar, India, reaching for rice that was being sold by government officials. He said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice agrees with his sentiment, and they need adequate funds to deal with this insecurity. Damage with a food crisis, he said, can be as damaging as any other threat.

Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) said there are two challenges. One, is humanitarian, pointing out the desperation on the faces of the people in the photos. Secondly, this is a national and international security threat, as people are likely to turn to more extreme measures when they are desperate. In the short term, we need to add money to the original request, in order to help as much as possible. Another point needed to be made, is that we need to help permanently increase agriculture production by improving crop yields, so that nations can feed themselves. In addition, prices to export food overseas needs to be addressed, so that food can reach the intended people instead of sitting and rotting in warehouses.

One question raised was whether or not biofuel production is raising food prices. Durbin said he’s supported ethanol and biofuel production from the beginning, but it has to be understood that it’s had an impact on food prices. We’ve got to be honest about it, he said, it has. The price of corn is part of the reality. He stressed again the need to find an affordable way to transport food from one place to another, and said they really needed help from the White House.