Global Food Challenges

by | Feb 25, 2020 | Ohio Country Journal

By Chris Clayton
DTN Ag Policy Editor

ARLINGTON, Va. (DTN) — In his role as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture in Rome, Indiana farmer Kip Tom is fully plugged into the world’s food and agricultural crises as they are happening.

Speaking to DTN at the USDA Agricultural Outlook Forum on Friday, Tom discussed the locust plague that began in Pakistan and has migrated across Oman, Bahrain, Yemen, as well as Kenya and Ethiopia. If not stopped in its tracks, the locust could continue to grow and migrate, Tom said.

?In time it’s going to continue to move on west. Some people are predicting it could become 500 times worse than it is today,? Tom said. ?This the worst we have seen it in nearly 70 years.?

The U.S. initially contributed $800,000 to try slowing the infestation, but Tom said that has been increased now to $8 million by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

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