In the United States, we have seen a 41 per cent surge in the price of staples, such as corn, wheat, and rice, over the past six months. And, now, corn is selling at historic highs thanks to the unsustainable practice of using the grain for a source of ethanol. The rising profits made from corn are making this staple food product unattainable for the mass of people, particularly in Mexico, who rely on it for their daily bread.

And, corn is only one of the staples that is fast becoming out of reach to the majority of people on this planet. The global prices for rice and wheat are rising at a similar rate as corn. These simple foods are the mainstay of the diet for the vast majority of the world's population.

I think that I need to say it again ... we are in serious trouble.

During my recent visit to a local organic grain farmer [1], I brought up the issue of food supply, organics, and grains. After walking me through his experiences over the past few decades, the farmer, Alfred Farris, looked at me and summed it up with one phrase, "The system is broken."

Mr. Farris is absolutely right.

Our current food supply system in the United States is in shambles. It is in shambles because large corporations have transformed agriculture and food production into something with which to turn an ever larger profit. It is in shambles because our government continues to subsidize these big businesses to continue their unsustainable practices. It is in shambles because it is out of touch with the needs and the health of those who it serves.

There is something very wrong with a system that ships your food to you from an average of over 1,500 miles away. There is something very wrong with a system in which fresh local foods are more expensive than those that have traveled halfway across the country to reach your table. There is something very wrong with a system that uses food to make fuel while people starve.

But, there is a solution. And, it is not difficult. You must opt out of the current system and get back to the basics. I know that this is easier said than done. But, it is all about taking baby steps.

Grow a garden. Raise some chickens. Or, at least, find folks around you who do.

Do not buy those organic blueberries from Chile that have traveled farther than you have over the past year. Buy your produce locally even if it is conventionally grown. And, encourage those growers in your area to think about organic production. Lobby your local and state governments to subsidize organic and other sustainable methods of production.

Refuse to participate in this broken system. Get back to the basics.

Over the past few generations, we have lost our connection to our food. And, if we are to have feast rather than famine in our future, we must do everything in our power to reclaim that connection.

Think globally and eat locally!

Change begins one bite at a time.

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