Food insecurity: A sad and disturbing fact of life in US

Paragould Daily Press: According to the recently released U.S. Department of Agriculture annual Food Security in the U.S. report, Arkansas now ranks first in food insecurity. Another study, Child Food Insecurity in the United States 2006-08, which was funded by the ConAgra Foods Foundation, reports Arkansas has the highest rate of food insecurity for children under the age of 18, with the highest increase since last year at 6.1 percent.

Almost one in every four children in this state questions whether they will have something to eat today.

That’s a sad and disturbing fact, especially when it’s coupled with the realization that Arkansas is the leading producer of rice in the country, is second only to Georgia in broiler production and ranks 10th in soybean production in the U.S.

It’s but a short drive on any of our roads in the county to see that we’re surrounded on all sides with food crops, yet as a state we can’t manage to make sure all of our people are fed adequately.

Of all the state rankings out there, the ones mentioned above should make us the most ashamed. The next time your child is reluctant to clean their plate, there’s no need to mention starving children in Africa. More than likely, some of their own classmates are hungry.