Planet-saving becomes new food buzzword

IOWA - Some day there may be another choice to make when buying your corn flakes besides plain, frosted or organic. Call them planet-saver flakes.

They would be made from corn that was grown with less water or energy. The people who get paid the big bucks to figure out what we'll be eating in the future think that people are going to be increasingly concerned about how much of the Earth's water and dwindling oil supplies were used to grow their food.

In other words, "sustainable" could take its place beside "organic," "low fat" or "heart healthy." "People will care if we're a good shepherd" of water and energy supplies, said Steve Sanger, the chairman and chief executive of General Mills Inc. "I don't think that's on consumers' minds today, but it will be."

To see why, you only have to go as far as California, where farmers are increasingly having to compete for water with the state's expanding cities. Agriculture is already consuming 70 percent of the fresh water worldwide. That can't go on, not with an expanding population.

"As urbanization spreads, and agricultural land comes down, then availability of water becomes a concern," says Hugh Grant, chairman, president and chief executive of seed giant Monsanto Co.

Source: Des Moines Register
calendar icon 7 December 2005
clock icon 1 minute read
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