Food Production

We shouldn't be blaming biofuel production for rising food prices and environmental degradation while ignoring the immense harm of industrial meat production, writes Frances Cerra Whittelsey.

Protests both peaceful and violent are breaking out across Europe and Asia as people's livelihoods begin to suffer from soaring fuel costs, and some stores are running out of food as truck drivers go on strike.

That's how many are expected to inhabit the world by 2050. Experts worry over looming food shortages.

Government subsidy programs designed to support the production of the four major food crops are limiting - even penalizing - small farmers' ability to meet regional demand for local fruits and vegetables.