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Challenges to ag ahead

The challenges and realities of food choices is the focus of the 2011 Food Summit that kicked off in Chicago Tuesday.  The goal of the summit is to take an in-depth look at the key issues surrounding consumer food choices.  Dr. Jason Clay, Senior Vice-Preside of Market Transformations with the World Wildlife Fund kicked off the summit and told attendees that the challenge going forward is where and how we produce food.  Clay says if we don’t get those answers to those two questions right, we can turn out the lights and go home.  Because there won’t be anything left to talk about. 

Clay says demand is changing and in the next 40 years we have to produce as much food as we have in the last 8,000 years.  Here are some statistics Clay shares:

•  We’ll have at least 2-3 billion more people by 2050. 
• Their income will be at least 2.9X per capita
• On average consumption will most likely double.
• Consumption of animal protein is going to increase – primarily in developing countries.
• 70 percent of people in 2050 will live in cities.

Clay says that is more people than are alive today.  The Center for Food Integrity’s Food Summit concluded on Wednesday.