Food prices on the rise

Three years ago global food prices spiked dramatically leading to food riots in many poor countries (where lots of folks earn less than $2/day), and causing general concern that our golden age of food production was coming to an end.  Food prices subsequently eased, due in part to the global economic downturn.  However, prices are once again creeping up.  Check out this report in the New York Times.   The details seem to be a bit different than the last spike, but there is growing concern that increasing food costs reflect a global food system that is under strain.  What exactly is causing this strain and how exactly do we assure that the system doesn't break are profound questions that we we will have to deal with in the coming decades.  We will explore some of these issues as the course goes along.