Even though the word “crisis” is being used liberally here at the World Food Prize Norman Borlaug Symposium, there is a great deal of focus on solutions to feeding a growing global population.
The “Global Agricultural Crisis of the 21st Century” was the topic of the keynote speaker for the symposium kickoff, Sir Gordon Conway, who is chief scientific adviser for the UK. He talked about the spike in food prices over the past year and the underlying causes, which he listed about ten – including increasing population, higher per capita income, increased demand for meat, higher prices for energy and fertilizer – and yes, demand for biofuels – but that was only ONE of the causes!
Conway stressed the need to address why we want to produce biofuels and the urgency to move quickly into second and even third generation biofuels – such as cellulosic ethanol from switchgrass and biodiesel from algae. “Maybe we should have a new World Food Prize on this,” Conway said. “In which we transform the world from one dependent on fossil fuels for energy and production of chemicals, into one that depends on plants as a basic source of our economy.”
He also talked about the need to increase yields in all areas of the world, especially Africa, and how genetically modified varieties can help. He noted that GM is actually growing in acceptance, “everywhere except in Europe.”
Listen to Conway’s comments here:
wfp-08-conway.mp3
You can also download the audio with this link: Sir Gordon Conway remarks at World Food Prize (mp3)
See photos of the World Food Prize event here.
One of the key speakers during this session was USDA’s Under Secretary for Rural Development Thomas Dorr, who talked about how we need to move forward and be aggressive… even in light of the recent stock market turbulence.
When it comes to farm show food booths, one that’s getting a lot of business at Sunbelt Ag Expo is Roasted Corn.
This is Justin Cremer, director of communications for the World Food Prize, at the door of the press room. Not too many media types here yet – more will be on hand for the bigger events, like the Laureate’s Forum tonight and the actual presentation of the World Food Prize on Thursday. 
One person who is here is Susan Carter – the newest member of USDA’s broadcast team. She took over the spot vacated by the legendary Brenda Curtis when she retired early this year. Susan has been on the job since May and while she is smiling in this photo, she has been experiencing some of the usual on the road headaches – flight delays and cancellations, internet problems and computer issues. Bless her heart – and she is still smiling.
The World Food Prize Norman E. Borlaug International Symposium is getting underway here in Des Moines with a couple of side seminars early this morning. The opening ceremony takes place at 1 pm central time. 
One of this morning’s seminars was hosted by USDA’s Foreign Agriculture Service, and since we didn’t have a speaker program for that event, I was surprised to walk in the room and see one of this year’s laureates, Hon. George McGovern at the podium. Wish I had known, I would have gotten a recorder on the podium because he had some very interesting remarks about the history of USDA and his role with Bob Dole in expanding and strengthening the school feeding program on a global basis. One of his comments was that he sees the role of USDA growing in the future to help feed a growing population. McGovern will be speaking at a forum this evening with Sen. Dole.
The latest in a series of Farm Foundation-sponsored meetings on how to transition the country to a bioeconomy is about to get underway this morning in St. Louis, Mo.
Peach and blueberry growers just got a new tractor option from 
When you come to the Sunbelt Ag Expo media room you experience Tyronny. At least that’s what I’m calling it when Tyron Spearman is in charge.
One of the companies exhibiting products in the Georgia Propane Gas Association building here at Sunbelt Ag Expo is Flame Engineering. They’ve got a full line of