Reductions in Wheat Farming

We have all noticed the sharp increases in the price of bread and other grains-based products in recent months. Much of these higher costs are due to increased fuel expenses in all stages of the production, manufacturing, and distribution processes. But another factor largely unknown to most consumers is the decline in acreage dedicated to growing wheat over the last one to two decades. Wheat is a difficult crop to grow successfully and quite subject to the environmental hardships that occur fairly regularly such as weather and disease. Now add in the growing pressure to switch to corn for greater profits as an energy fuel as well as expanding warmer climate zones which open up the possibility for growing corn in more places and one can see that wheat production is due to largely stagnate or decrease for the time being which will inevitably result in only further greater price increases. Progressive governmental policies will be needed soon to address the ramifications of these trends before a true crisis occurs with worldwide consequences that would even include Americans.
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/28/AR2008042802509.html?hpid=topnews
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheat
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http://blogs.moneycentral.msn.com/topstocks/archive/2008/03/27/new-wheat-crisis-plagues-world-food-supply.aspx
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