“Who controls the food supply controls the people.” – Henry Kissinger
Something nasty is brewing. We can see it. We can feel it. Grocers around the country are having a hard time keeping their shelves stocked, we are waiting longer for supplies when we order online, and there are worldwide protests raging over food.
The global food security crisis is upon us, friends. It’s at our doorstep.
In this Scout, we’re taking an in-depth look at what’s causing it and what we can do right now to ensure our families have food.
There isn’t just one factor contributing to the food-security crisis—this is a culmination of globalism, bad policies, unrealistic regulations, power grabs by billionaires and governments, and the war in Ukraine.
Let’s dive in, shall we?
The WEF’s Climate Agenda
The World Economic Forum (WEF) recently released a paper, written by Colorado State University economics professor Edward B. Barbier, stating climate change is the biggest threat to democracy.
The three main highlights are:
- “Climate change and the decline of democracy are two global crises that have come to a head in recent years.
- “Transitioning to green energy is key to both tackling climate change and creating sustainable economies.
- “Collective action on a green energy transition is thereby not only good for the climate but also vital for protecting democracy.”
Barbier argues that to “protect and promote freedom,” democracies (which he says are in a decline) need to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and become more sustainable through low-carbon alternatives.
He argues that democratic and green-energy transitions are linked. “G20 countries with greater political rights and civil liberties tend also to have greener policies and economies. In comparison, countries that are less free are ‘browner.’”
Barbier goes on to suggest that higher gas prices would help the US and Europe accomplish his proposal. “Leading democracies should agree to end the underpricing of fossil fuels, which is the principal factor preventing a clean energy transition.”
The WEF wants sovereign nations to stop burning coal, oil, and gas, and they want farmers to stop using fertilizers and pesticides—and instead switch to renewable energy sources. And they want it now.
In good faith, many countries are already moving toward greener initiatives. However, as we saw most recently in Sri Lanka, moving TOO quickly to green energy can make the transition messy and cause political upheaval…and starvation.
If gas prices go up significantly in order to help the environment and save democracy as Barbier proposes—and if governments get on board with the WEF’s line of thinking— how will farmers continue to farm using modern equipment?
What impact does it have on the cost of food (or the ability to get certain foods) when manufacturers and farmers pass on higher gas prices to consumers?
How will farmers survive and keep their land if these green initiatives are forced on them with little to no transition time?
It’s a terrifying scenario, but it’s already starting to play out.
Regulating Farmers out of Business
What happens to the food supply when governments are too hasty in pursuing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals?
Here’s a clue: Social unrest, farmers unable to farm, and too-little food to feed a nation.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is a tragic case study in how NOT to transition too quickly.
In April 2021, Sri Lanka banned chemical fertilizers to push the country toward a fully organic agricultural industry. Tragically, this devastated one of their largest industries by drastically reducing crop yields and damaging trade balance.
This forced the country to rely on imports for food. And when Sri Lanka could no longer pay for imports, they quickly experienced food, fuel, and medicine shortages.
While the government lifted the fertilizer ban just months later in November 2021, the damage was already done.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimated that crop production for the 2021-2022 season decreased by 40% to 50%. “It is estimated that only 24 per cent of the usually worked land – or 128,652 out of 524,778 hectares – has been cultivated for the upcoming season. Thus, the current yield is not sufficient to cover domestic requirements,” the UN stated in a June 2022 report.
“The decision to overnight shift away from synthetic fertilizers was an absolute disaster,” says Peter Earle, a former financial markets trader and economist at the American Institute for Economic Research. “To the extent that any part of this organic agriculture decision was made based upon some version of green or from [these] ideologies, this is just the first of many unintended consequences we’ve seen from these kinds of policies.” (emphasis added)
In a matter of months, Sri Lanka sank into chaos with mass protests due to long lines for gas, medicine, and food. The Prime Minister fled the country and then resigned. 38 politicians’ homes have burned to the ground, and protestors have stormed government offices. The country is bankrupt.
And people are hungry. The UN World Food Program says nearly 9 of 10 families are skipping meals or otherwise skimping to stretch out their food.
[Related Read: Is Sri Lanka Our Future?]
Dutch Agricultural Protests
In the Netherlands, we’re seeing Dutch farmers protest new regulations to reduce emissions that will force them to comply or face cutting down their livestock herds…or shutting down their farms.
The government wants to cut emissions of pollutants, specifically nitrogen oxide and ammonia, by 50% nationwide by 2030. Leaders argue that this is a necessary step to protect the environment.
The issue is being framed negatively in the media, showing that Dutch farmers are using toxic fertilizers and don’t want to change.
But that’s not the whole story. These farmers see the writing on the wall. They see their livelihoods and freedoms taken away.
If Dutch farmers are forced to call it quits, it may have a serious impact on the rest of the world’s food supply.
According to a national farming lobby group, LTO, there are nearly 54,000 agricultural businesses in the Netherlands with exports totaling 94.5 billion euros in 2019. They are the second-largest agricultural exporter in the world and the largest exporter of meat in Europe.
In a recent interview with Brietbart, Dutch political commentator Eva Vlaardingerbroek argued that this is the World Economic Forum’s Great Reset agenda in action.
“For some reason, they aren’t coming after the airlines or other industries that actually are contributors to these emissions apart from the Dutch farmers. They are saying that the farmers need to give up 30 per cent of their land by 2030 and for a lot of these farmers that means they will go completely out of business depending on where they are in the country and that land goes to the state, surprise, surprise,” she said.
“Our farmers are being expropriated and the state is stealing their land… and oftentimes these are businesses that they have had in their families for centuries on end because the farming industry in the Netherlands is very strong.”
Consolidation of US Farmland
One might argue we are entering into a new form of colonialism—with billionaires and governments telling farmers to forget the land and take the money.
It sounds like a good-old conspiracy theory, but it’s playing out right in our own nation.
Should this trend continue, it will bring US farmland into the hands of a few who can then control the food, and thus, control you and me!
Foreign Investors Buying US Farmland
Foreign holdings on US lands nearly tripled in the last decade, according to the US Department of Agriculture.
Overall, foreign investors own or lease nearly 37.5 million acres of agricultural land, including forests and pastures—which make up 2.9% of total privately held cropland in the US.
According to AG Daily, “In 2020, foreign ownership of US land increased by 2.4 million acres to include 37.5 million total acres. Over 40 percent of the growth was accounted for in Oklahoma, Texas, and Colorado. Canadian investors own 29 percent of the foreign-owned land in the United States. China, Russia, and Iran accounted for 0.2 million acres in 2019, 0.7 percent of all foreign-owned agricultural land. China held 60 percent of this total, which was attributable to its ownership of Smithfield Foods, which includes 140,000 acres.”
Foregin investment continues to pour into the US because there is NO federal law that restricts foreign persons from securing subsidies offered by crop and livestock insurance programs.
Back in 2021, the House Appropriations Committee voted to add language to a bill that would prevent China from buying more US farmland and claiming subsidies on what they own now. But nothing was ever passed.
And, just a few months ago, Chinese food manufacturer Fufeng Group bought 300 acres of land near Grand Forks, North Dakota where they plan on building a milling plant. The location makes this purchase even scarier from a national security standpoint: It’s 20 minutes from the Grand Forks Air Force Base.
And this isn’t the only Chinese land purchase near one of our bases. In 2021, a former member of the Chinese army bought land near the Laughlin Air Force Base.
There is a new bill that’s been proposed to prohibit the purchase of public or private US farmland by foreign nationals associated with the Government of the People’s Republic of China. The bill, currently in The House, is called: Prohibition of Agricultural Land for the People’s Republic of China Act.
Note: This bill only focuses on China—not other foregin entities buying up land.
Bill Gates & Friends
The ultra-wealthy are buying up vast amounts of farmland. Putting our food supply in the hands of a few places citizens like you and me at their mercy.
Gates owns approximately 268,000 acres of farmland in over 19 states with assets totaling more than $690 million.
Jeff Bezos has amassed 420,000 acres of agricultural land in recent years.
Ted Turner owns about 2.2 million acres of land in the US with over 500,000 acres in Nebraska alone.
In an article for the Guardian, author Nick Estes put it best, “The principal danger of private farmland owners like Bill Gates is not their professed support of sustainable agriculture often found in philanthropic work – it’s the monopolistic role they play in determining our food systems and land-use patterns.”
A quick look back in the history books shows us exactly what happens when agricultural land lies in the hands of a few. It’s called serfdom – and it ain’t pretty.
Energy Costs Soaring for Farmers in the US
The US is seeing soaring diesel fuel costs—the primary fuel option for farmers and ranchers. Couple that with increases in some commodity prices, and, well, farmers aren’t making more money.
Many farmers and ranchers are worried they won’t be able to break even. Should something happen in the market and commodity prices plunge, they won’t be able to make enough to cover the high cost to produce our food.
Then add fears of a coming diesel shortage. The US distillate inventory is now at the lowest level in more than a decade. On the East Coast, diesel fuel stockpiles are at the lowest in decades, since 1996.
If farmers cannot break even, many may look to sell. And who will be there waiting to buy it? None other than the mega-wealthy and foreign entities.
Looming Global Fertilizer Crisis
US farmers still get much of their fertilizer from overseas, specifically from Russia, the top exporter of fertilizer in the world.
If you think we can combat this problem by producing our own fertilizer, think again. Critical elements needed to do so, such as natural gas, urea, potash, and ammonia, are also sourced from Russia and neighboring countries.
Because we import our fertilizer, US farmers do not have access to the crucial agricultural supplies they need. Many purchased fertilizer in advance of the Ukraine war, so we won’t see the real impact until 2023 when yields per acre will be hurt by the global fertilizer shortage.
The result of this will be fewer crops planted, smaller harvests, and ultimately, food shortages.
[Related Read: The Looming Fertilizer Meltdown and Decline of Abundance in America]
The US Relies Too Heavily on Food Imports
The sheer number the US imports presents a serious problem. Scout readers know we’ve talked about this extensively in the past few months, but it’s a contributing factor to our pending food crisis in America.
Because we are dangerously reliant on imports: consumables produced in other countries that we could make right here at home, but don’t. In fact, we import double the amount China does, even though they have far more people.
Our import reliance is a result of globalism. And, as a nation, we’ve become far too dependent on foods coming from halfway across the globe.
According to The American Conservative, “Since 1980, America has lost 50 percent of its cattle farms, 80 percent of its dairies, and 90 percent of its hog farms.”
How to Prepare for the Global Food Crisis
The best way to deal with likely shortages is to prepare.
- Grow your own food. Don’t depend on fruits and vegetables to come from other countries. Instead, grow your own and learn how to preserve them. Even if you live in a small apartment or have a small yard, you can grow veggies in pots.
- Stock up on emergency food. Not only is long-term emergency food beneficial for emergencies and shortages, but buying it now is a good way to avoid paying the high cost of inflation in the future.
- Start a hobby farm. Another means of self-sufficiency is hobby farming. With more and more local farms folding, now’s the time to start preparing to care for your own livestock.
- Get to know your local farmers. Go to your local farmers market and meet the people who grow food for you. Establishing these relationships now could very well help you and your family stay fed when things get tough.
- Get to know your neighbors. If push comes to shove, you may need to barter your way to survival. Invest in getting to know your neighbors. Find people you can trust and potentially barter with.
The time to prepare is now, friends.
In liberty,
Grant Miller
Preparedness Advisor, Prepared For The Storm