U.S. Agriculture Dept. Says Poor People Suffer ‘Low Food Security’

[babylonsister]

U.S. Agriculture Dept. Says Poor People Suffer ‘Low Food Security’
Buck | Dec. 4, 2007


I guess it was to be expected from the administration that brought us the global war on terror, but the U.S. Agriculture Department’s Office of Jargon and Nonsense (aka the Economic Research Service) has been working overtime preparing for its annual report. And the product of that effort was nothing less than replacing the hunger — “a strong desire or need for food; the discomfort, weakness, or pain caused by a prolonged lack of food” — with food security — “access by all people at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life.”

Just like on the Homeland Security front, seems we’re doing pretty well on the Food Security front:

In 2006, 89 percent of U.S. households were food secure throughout the entire year. The remaining households (10.9 percent) were food insecure at least some time during that year, essentially unchanged from 11.0 percent in 2005.

So, while we’re not winning the war on food insecurity, we aren’t losing it, either. And there’s always a semantic solution to delivering the not-so-great news:

The prevalence of very low food security was 4.0 percent of households, also essentially unchanged from 2005 (3.9 percent). In households with very low food security, eating patterns of one or more household members were disrupted and their food intake was reduced at times during the year because the household lacked money and other resources for food.

At the Food Security Briefing Room, the USDA asks the pertinent question: How Often Are Food-Insecure Households Food Insecure? And then they give the answers:

* About one-third of households with very low food security at any time during the year experienced it rarely or occasionally — in only one or two months of the year. For two-thirds, very low food security recurred in three or more months of the year.
* For about one-fifth of food-insecure households and 30 percent of those with very low food security, the occurrence was frequent or chronic.
* On average, households that were food insecure at some time during the year were food insecure in six months during the year.
* On average, households with very low food security at some time during the year experienced it in seven months during the year and in one to seven days in each of those months.

It’s not about solving the problem of hunger, it’s about solving the word “hunger.” Here’s what USDA did to relieve “hunger.” They dropped it in favor of food security, which was defined as having “no reported indications of food-access problems or limitations,” or having “one or two reported indications — typically of anxiety over food sufficiency or shortage of food in the house. Little or no indication of changes in diets or food intake.”

more...

http://www.pensitoreview.com/2007/12/04/us-agriculture-dept-says-poor-people-suffer-low-food-security/

[flashl]

1. Food insecurity simply forecloses reports of starvation. n/t

[kurth]

2. USDA reporting to Homeland Security now?

[mac2]

4. Homeland insecurity

regarding food shortages and terrorism is just another fear tactic.

[mac2]

3. Not just the poor

suffer food hunger and food access problems. Our food is mostly imported. We don't even know what is in them. That leaves us a target. Thanks to Bush and years of out sourcing for cheaper goods, we are no longer self sufficient but dependent. We are like a 3rd world country where the only wealth we have is our resources. What we have left.

[flashl]

6. Our 'leaders' level of interest in food security is found at farm auctions

where farm land is then turn into housing developments. Echoes of housing crisis?

We, American citizens, have NO SENSE of self-interest allowing our farmers to be attacked without support while they are turn into sharecroppers with mega corporations as overlords.

[sam sarrha]

5. global heating is all about STARVATION and FAMINE

[mntleo2]

7. Poor also have WRONG foods

...what I mean by that is that what they do have is mostly starches and fats because it is the cheapest and goes farther to feed the whole family. Not much fresh foods, meats, organics, high proteins or high vitamin foods are served. Thus resulting in obesity, diabetes, tooth decay, heart disease, bone decay and other problems. Food banks are low folks, and they use their cash donations to obtain good fresh kinds of foods for low income people.

If you have a friend or relative who "has everything" consider giving to a food bank in their name. You will not only give a gift, you will help others. Here is a link that gives to local families called Bread for the World: http://www.bread.org/learn/hunger-reports/ also international you can give to The Heifer Project that not only helps families generate their own food, but also promotes peace: http://www.heifer.org/. Some Heifer money also goes to local families to help them raise their own food as well, but most of it goes overseas, from what I understand.

Cat In Seattle

[MikeNearMcChord]

8. But...but...The Heritage Foundation said

the poor are bunch of fat f**ks!:sarcasm: