USDA: No strategic grain reserves … they sold them!

Source: The PPJ Gazette

As recently as 2008, the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), a wholly owned subsidiary of the USDA, reported that there was virtually no grain stores left in the US.  Of the 24.1 million bushels in reserve, only 2.7 million bushels remained after the bulk of the grain stores were given for humanitarian relief. While some of the grain may have been used for humanitarian purposes, there is no evidence to support this contention. Furthermore, the use of the term humanitarian does not necessarily mean that the grain wasn’t sold, its just meant to condition public thinking into believing the grain was given away to hungry people.  I would bet that wasn’t the case at all.

There has been no effort by USDA or CCC to re-establish our strategic grain reserves.  The purpose of the CCC is to maintain a balanced supply of food commodities as a strategic backup in case of emergency and is charged with distributing those back up supplies to the population should they be needed. The strategic reserves which had been established as a result of the Great Depression were depleted in the 1980’s and USDA at that time announced it would not re-establish this back up and of course our current bio-tech pandering Ag secretary isn’t about to re-establish them either.

S.510 would insure the capture of the markets for corporations whose only interest is exporting whatever our land can produce to other nations, for commodities profit.  Nothing will be held back for the US as “free trade” and export will be first and foremost. Instead of focusing on securing a back up supply for the US, the USDA continues to push for ever more exportation of our food supply.  Now why would USDA and congress be promoting export over securing the food supply for the US?

This “free trade” thing is killing us economically. The cost of free trade needs to be measured not by whether or not a few selected individuals make a ton of money, but, by whether or not the economy is benefited by allowing it to continue.  Free trade has morphed into rape and pillage, leaving economic destruction in its wake and we are about to be left in the dirt and wondering where our next meal is coming from as multi-national corporations line up to seize control of the worlds food supplies.

Along with this loss of strategic grain reserves, there is no butter, cheese, dry milk or any other food commodity stockpiled for the American people in the event the predicted food crisis occurs.  Nearly one third of all corn crops are now diverted to ethanol production and are not grown for food; this while the coming food crisis begins.

It is our belief that this refusal by USDA and CCC to establish a food store for emergencies goes hand in hand with the intent of S.510, the fake food safety bill. This bill will effectively centralize food production not only geographically, but also in the marketplace by eliminating family and independent producers and centralizing food production in CAFO operations and other concentrated farming applications.

The Farmer Owned Reserve (FOR) is busy promoting the most sensible solution to decentralization of food stores, by advocating that grain be stored on farms; effectively establishing and protecting grain reserves as they would be dispersed all across the country as opposed to deposited in massive and easily targeted grain terminals.  Of course USDA and CCC have their ears plugged on this sensible solution as it limits their control and manipulation of markets and reduces the number and value of contracts they can issue for export; meaning the amount of money that would be generated by contracting with multi-national corporations against the people of the United States would be seriously impaired, reducing the profit margin for USDA on export contracts.

This was alluded to in the 2009 National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) report on the wonderful deal grain producers would get if they didn’t store grain on site and instead stored in government owned and controlled facilities.  Far from being a logical and defensive strategy, the intent of NGFA (another USDA owned corporation)was summed up in its final statement on the advantages of government owned facilities:

• It would better protect CCC’s financial interest, since the value of grain stored at commercial elevators generally is greater than on farm, and is a more “saleable” asset if marketing assistance loan grain is ever forfeited by the producer into CCC’s ownership.

This last statement was in fact the crux of the issue: “forever forfeited by the producer.” Its all about how to seize the supply and who will profit from its sale.  None of this plan for massive grain terminals is about anything other than selling off the crops our farmers produce to the highest bidders while leaving the US in the position of having no strategic stores of grains for emergencies. to get the full effect of the planning that went into the theft of our grain crops, you have to read the full document linked above.

Centralization, one of the key talking points when the USDA and FDA is promoting the overthrow of private domestic agriculture, is supposed to be avoided……there could be some mad man in a cave on the other side of the world just waiting for the chance to tip cows over in Iowa.  Then what?

These massive terminals that NGFA is promoting would centralize the grain reserves all across the country making them easy targets for terrorists; like the swat teams from USDA and FDA.  They don’t have to really worry about them showing up, these teams will be far too busy conducting police state raids on family and independent farms and ranches.

We do need to fear terrorists.  You will know them when you see them.  They will be dressed like star wars storm troopers and armed to the teeth with weapons the likes of which even James Bond couldn’t imagine.  They’ll also have the USDA and/or FDA logo on them just so you know who they are.

As for bio-terrorism……considering we have more than 700 bio-weapons labs cris-crossing the country, its pretty safe to say that should we have a bio weapon attack, it will probably originate from a city near you.

November 12, 2010 by ppjg

Source: The PPJ Gazette