Washington D.C. (May 09, 2008) - Despite the growing global food crisis and the
warnings for over a year from organizations such as the National Family Farm Coalition,
Congress failed to include any sort of Strategic Grain Reserves or to revive Farmer-
Owned Reserves as part of the Farm Bill. NFFC President and vegetable farmer Ben
Burkett said, "We have been urging Congress to deal with the question of reserves since
the 1996 Farm Bill eliminated all our government stocks. We are now just one weather
disaster away from seeing $10/bushel corn or $20/bushel wheat with absolutely no plan
in place for such a calamity. It is a disastrous oversight on the part of Congress not to
have seriously considered the question of how we are going to have long-term stability in
securing affordable food for all Americans."

A diverse group of farmer, religious, consumer, and development organizations released
a letter to Congress on April 29, 2008 urging that strategic grain reserves be implemented
as part of the Farm Bill. A previous letter incorporating the same message had been
delivered last October to the House and Senate Agriculture Committees, right when
commodity prices were beginning to surge. With commodity stocks at record lows, the
United States is in the precarious position of having no backup plan should there be a
weather disaster. The 1996 Farm Bill abolished all government reserves, with the
exception of the Emerson Humanitarian Trust, leaving American food security to the
whims of a highly volatile globalized market.

George Naylor, former National Family Farm Coalition president and Iowa corn and
soybean farmer said, "It is ridiculous and dangerous for the United States not to be able
to provide food for itself, but since Congress got rid of our reserves, we have no way to
deal with the question of possible food shortages. When corn was under $2 for the past
several years and wheat was $3, that would have been the ideal time for the U.S. to
stockpile critical commodities. Reserves would also have reduced the need for expensive
taxpayer subsidies to make up for farmers' lost income when we had depressed prices."

The idea of grain reserves has been central in many religious and ancient civilizations.
"Every civilization before us, from the Chinese to the Hebrews, has had a grain reserve to
deal with the question of possible food shortages," said Bob Gronski, policy director for
the National Catholic Rural Life Conference. "In the Old Testament, Joseph was put in
charge by Pharaoh of Egypt's reserves to ensure enough food could be provided in case
of seven fat years followed by seven lean years. We need to have the same kind of
leadership in Congress today to come up with prudent policies that so that all Americans
have access to affordable food and eliminate unnecessary man-made hunger."

As increasing food prices continue to cause hardship for many Americans, a Strategic
Grain Reserve would be one critical way to help stabilize commodity prices. Wenonah
Hauter of Food & Water Watch said, "Reinstating our grain reserves would bring much
needed relief to consumers who are anxiously watching their grocery bills climb higher
and higher while their income stagnates. Congress needs to act swiftly to stabilize food
prices for families at the grocery store. The Farm Bill was a missed opportunity."