WOW !

I have been having trouble getting my hands on artichoke hearts. I have tried multiple times and they just are not available. This is a canned good so it surprised me.

I ended up doing a web search about this problem and was stunned to learn that we (we meaning the whole world) is in a huge food crisis right now.

There was Cyclone Harry that caused a lot of problems over there in Italy, which I had not even heard about. And many of the artichokes we get come from there.

The share of Americans reporting trouble affording food is rising this year amid persistently high grocery costs, according to a recent report from Purdue University.

More than eight per cent of the world population or around 673 million people are not getting enough to eat and going hungry, according to the UN.

Why? I asked, is this happening? What has gone so terribly wrong?

Conflict was the number one answer.

Armed conflicts, such as those in Ukraine, Sudan and Gaza, disrupt food production, supply chains, and access to markets. This leads to the displacement of people, creating acute food insecurity for millions. 

In Haiti, an estimated 5.7 million people – around half the population – many of whom have fled their home because of violence, are facing a deteriorating food security situation – with a striking 1.9 million at emergency levels.

Secondly, but not any less of an issue was climate.

Increasing climate variability, including droughts, floods, and heatwaves, all play havoc with the ability of farmers to grow food. This undermines agricultural productivity and food availability, especially in vulnerable regions.

Then came 'economic shocks'. Global and regional economic downturns, rising food and energy prices, and inflation have combined to reduce purchasing power and access to nutritious food, particularly in low-income countries.

The COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and climate shocks all contributed to food prices surges.

Export restrictions, tariffs, and volatile commodity prices can destabilize food markets, making food less affordable and accessible in food-deficit countries.

The parallels to the 2008 housing crisis are hard to ignore. There, systemic fragility was masked by financial models that failed to capture real-world risk. Food may be next.

Food insecurity impacts communities in every county, parish and congressional district in the U.S. People from all backgrounds and demographics experience food insecurity, but disparities exist. 

Food insecurity is often linked to one or multiple factors, which can be related to household income, expenses, access to affordable health care, the surrounding social and physical environment, and barriers to opportunity.

More than 2 out of 5 people facing hunger may not be eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) since their incomes exceed the income eligibility threshold for these critical benefits. Not all who are eligible for the program participate in SNAP.

While the majority of people experiencing food insecurity nationally are non-Hispanic white, Black and Latino individuals experience food insecurity at disproportionately higher rates—estimated to be as high as 60%, but it is the whites that are at greater risk of insecurity. That was a revelation for me.

The United States, known for its abundance and diverse food supply, has recently faced concerns over potential food shortages. All the factors above play a roll but the tariffs placed on imports and the government ignoring climate change is playing the biggest role right now.

Food supply is diminishing in the USA. And I wasn't even aware that it was this bad. So that is why I am letting you know about it.

I cannot finish this post without mentioning all the recalls that have been happening this year and all through 2025 on food products. Why so many? What has gone wrong in our supply system? I'll be looking into that.

What do you call a Bear with no teeth?

A Gummy Bear.