The Voice results are in from the TV show and according to Google over 100,000 people have searched for the results since last night and even more have tried to understand why Anne Hathaway was foolish, yet there has not been enough searches for Brazil finds Mad Cow, Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), to cause a trend in Google.   It is true that on December 7, 2012 Brazil, our main competitor for beef exports, announced it had a cow test positive for BSE.  This cow went down 2 years ago and they just now received the final test results.  (this is another issue but it seems odd that this is barely hitting media outlets but if it was in the US the world would be outraged) http://uk.news.yahoo.com/brazil-moves-calm-mad-cow-disease-fears-003000257.html    This particular case is unique and complex with both a positive and negative test, it was an older cow that could have died from other old age causes, and the lab was backed logged in getting results to the appropriate authorities.   The US cattlemen are pushing for Brazil to be listed as a BSE country like the US (http://r-calfusa.com/), Japan cancelled Brazilian imports and Russia is probably not going to, while the US remains silent, for the most part.  In my opinion we are still safe but the two year lag was unnecessary…now here is the bait and switch…

Global Food Security is a complex issue that goes beyond tonight’s dinner table.  The weather, markets, a random pest, the work force, politics, access, education, extension networks and countless other issues outside of whether you are in a developed or developing nation converge to key play roles.    The issue is complex and needs to be looked at from all sides with all players.  Having BSE in an exporter nation like Brazil or having 30 years of rice imports into Haiti from outside groups are just examples of larger topics playing a factor in food security.  The grand challenges of food security keeps me pacing my office because I want to be part of the solution not part of the problem.

As the person who directs the agricultural division at Convoy of Hope I am always trying to find ways to communicate the issues to the people around me. Kindly, before you see who won the Voice or whether or not the Seahawks won the Superbowl take a minute and answer this question for me.

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear food security?

Thanks The Poopsmith aka Dr. Dirt