US responds to the food shortage

I admit that anything these various food shortages are a bit scary to me. I find myself looking for as much news about the shortages and the various responses. I am glad that President Bush is not ignoring what is happening. The entire link for this particular article can be found at the CNN website at this link - AnIntelligentMind


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. President George W. Bush has ordered the release of $200 million in emergency aid to help countries where the soaring cost of basic food has spurred riots and instability.

The money, to be drawn down from a food reserve, will address food needs in Africa and elsewhere, the White House said.

The announcement follows an appeal to the international community by World Bank President Robert Zoellick.

"The international community must fill the at least a $500 million food gap identified by the U.N.'s World Food Programme to meet emergency needs," he said. "Governments should be able to come up with this assistance and come up with it now."

The United States is the world's largest provider of food aid, delivering more than $2.1 billion in food aid to 78 countries last year, the White House said in a statement.

Riots from Haiti to Bangladesh to Egypt over surging food prices have brought the issue to a boiling point and catapulted it to the forefront of the world's attention.

"This is the world's big story," said Jeffrey Sachs, director of Columbia University's Earth Institute