Increasing the Resilience of the Food Systems
In Islamic States in Face of Future Food Crises
63
depends on food imports. This risk is further discussed in an evaluation of the overall strength
of the OIC’s food system.
The U.S. remains vulnerable toeconomic shocks, with growth slowing from4%in Q2 2018 down
an expected 1.6%in Q4 2019. An external shock, such as a drop in housing prices or a steep rise
in core commodity prices, could result in a recession.230 As experienced in 2008, an economic
shock could result in business closures and job losses, driving an increase in food-insecure
households.
During the past 30 years, the average age of U.S. farmers has grown nearly eight years, from50.5
years to 58.3. The lack of youth involved in agriculture is a major concern for the U.S., as with
many other countries.231 As farmers retire and sell their farmland, there is a major risk of a
reduction in arable land and farm production going forwards, which could exacerbate U.S.
reliance on imports.
Finally, while food-insecure households as a share of the population have been declining since
2011, the underlying social factors underpinning poverty in the U.S. remain. While the bottom
40% of households in the U.S. have seen little increase in wealth between 1983 and 2016, with
their wealth stalled at $8,900, the top 1% have seen their wealth more than double to $26.4
million per household.232
Government Monitoring Activities
First, the U.S. government is engaged in a number of activities to monitor its exposure tovarious
risk factors that could increase food insecurity. The Economic Research Services (ERS) of the
USDA has been playing a leading role in federal research on food security across the food system,
from agricultural production to consumer access and utilization. The service comprehensively
covers 11 product areas and over 100 subtopics, and it has produced close to 2,000 reports.
Notable statistics include an annual survey-based quantification of food-insecure households in
the U.S., as well as the impact of food security impact on the wellbeing of households and an
agricultural baseline database that includes USDA's 10-year projections for the food and
agriculture sector.233
Second, the USDA is heavily involved in monitoring agricultural produce for potential diseases
and risks, under a collaborationwith other government agencies, notably the FDA and the CDC.
The USDA has partnered with several research organizations, including the U.S. Meat Animal
Research and Animal Health National Programs, to monitor real-time developments.234
230 Sonenshine, Jacob. “Recession Could Hit a Vulnerable U.S. Economy in 2019 - What InvestorsShould Do.” The Street. Nov
27, 2018
231 .S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance. (n.d.). The Average Age of an American Farmer. Retrieved from
232 . Wealth Inequality in the United States.” Retrieved fro
233 USDA. (2018, September 5). Food Security in the US. Retrieved fro
234 USDA. (n.d.). Animals. Retrieved fro