Do you think that U.S. farmers are responsible for feeding the world? I believe that they are; however, our American consumer counterparts don’t agree, according to the Center for Food Integrity (CFI).

 

In a study preceding the CFI annual convention in October, the group found that more than 40% of those surveyed strongly disagree that "the United States has a responsibility to provide food for the rest of the world." Consumers in the study strongly believe that Americans are responsible for teaching other nations how to feed themselves.

 

In a statement regarding the study, Charlie Arnot, CEO of CFI, said, "These results clearly indicate that consumers do not believe U.S. farmers should be responsible for feeding the world. If consumers don’t believe U.S. agriculture has a responsibility to feed the world, then we can’t build consumer support for today’s farming simply by claiming we need to feed more people, unless we can build public support that feeding the world should be a priority."

 

Some argue that American consumers are out of touch with the global food crisis. However, I wonder: If the most modern food production system in the world is not responsible for increasing productivity and decreasing hunger, then who is?