(The Organic Prepper)—In another episode of “Have We Learned Nothing from History?” two governments in the past couple of days have decided to take the high prices of food into their own hands.
Justin Trudeau, the Prime Minister of Canada, wants to heap more taxes on grocery stores to punish them for high prices. And Chicago’s mayor, Brandon Johnson, has proposed city-owned grocery stores.
Some other times the government has taken control of the food supply
Historically, it’s the beginning of the end for people when the government begins to interfere with food pricing, production, and distribution. Just look at some of the rules that were established in Venezuela that led to widespread hunger. The government took control of food production facilities. They began forcing farmers to produce food for less than the cost of growing or raising it. They rationed food to families. They even began to track people who were growing their own food. In short, every terrible decision it was possible to make, they made. And the people suffered for it.
There’s an article by a friend of mine, Scott Terry, that I always cite when talking about the collectivization of food. He wrote a concerning history of this troubling phenomenon right here in America and it’s well worth a read. His article is specifically about agriculture but the same principles hold true of other governmental controls on food.
In short, he concludes that:
There are several reasons why the collectivists want to destroy agriculture in America.
The first being that the farmer has traditionally been the great stumbling block to communism and totalitarianism. Stalin found this out the hard way and had to murder seven million ( 7,000,000) Ukrainian farmers by starvation. One cannot enslave a population of independent freeholders. They must be removed one way or another.
The second reason is that the easiest way to control people is through food. There are executive orders on the books that give the federal government the power to confiscate and nationalize the nations agricultural resources. Now, it is much easier to control a handful of farms as opposed to controlling several million farms. These plans have been on the books for many years (and always renewed by all subsequent presidents) and help explain why the USDA has always encouraged farmers to “get big or get out”. No industry in America has seen more consolidation than agriculture.
Stalin starved as many as 7 million Ukrainians during the Holomodor. China’s Great Famine was the result of governmental decisions and 30 million people died of starvation. Ethiopia has been accused of deliberately starving its own citizens. North Korea has such stringent rules around who can have food and what they can have that people starve to death in the middle of wheat fields because their harvests go to the government.
In short, it’s always ALWAYS a terrible idea.
What does Justin Trudeau want to do?
The heads of Canada’s largest grocery store chains were hastily summoned to the capitol in Ottawa to discuss plans to “stabilize food prices” after PM Trudeau issued an ultimatum:
The meeting was the result of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declaring on Friday that he was summonsing top officials from Loblaw, Metro, Empire, Walmart and Costco to begin discussions to address what a House committee has long been studying(opens in a new tab): the escalating price of groceries in Canada.
Trudeau’s ultimatum was(opens in a new tab): Come up with a credible plan by Thanksgiving or he’ll consider “the use of tax measures in order to restore the grocery price stability that Canadians expect.”
“Such actions must not negatively impact small suppliers or the price that farmers receive for their products, nor should they impact pricing mechanisms as determined by supply-managed industries,” Champagne’s office said Monday, elaborating on the government’s expectations.
Trudeau seems to think that the stores are rolling in money.
“Trudeau said food is “too expensive for too many families,” and said given these major grocery chains are making “record profits” he plans to “hold them to account.”
Of course, putting it solely on the backs of grocery store chains without also including producers means that the stores will lose money. And what happens when a product line isn’t profitable? Oh. They stop selling those products.
What could possibly go wrong?
Meanwhile in Chicago…
In Chicago, stores like Walmart and Whole Foods have shut their doors in certain neighborhoods, creating food deserts. Mayor Brandon Johnson has a plan for that.
Spoiler: It’s not tackling the high levels of crime that may have caused the exodus in the first place. (Though it’s important to note that neither Walmart nor Whole Foods has publicly given a reason for closing the stores aside from a vague “lack of profit” statement.) But our American cities are under siege by shoplifters, as we’ve noted here recently. This article suggests that crime is very likely the cause of the closures.
One explanation could be the shoplifting epidemic taking over America, which has seen retailers struggling to cope with the consequence-less pilfering, stripping them of revenue that’s also led to the closure of a “landmark” grocery store in Baltimore that shut its doors after nearly 25 years.
Experts have blamed the surge on lax policies — including the passage of Prop 47 in California, which reduced theft from a potential felony to a misdemeanor — as well as calls to defund the police in 2020 following the murder of George Floyd, which resulted in a mass exodus of cops nationwide.
The atmosphere has made retail-laden cities like New York, San Francisco and Chicago a “shoplifter’s paradise.”
According to the Chicago Police Department, thefts are up 25% to-date year over year. Robberies are up 11%.
Illinois is also one of the states that has shifted to a state wtih crimes that don’t require cash bail for criminals to be released after they’re apprehended.
Anyway… back to the plan.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said he wants to open city-owned grocery stores to serve neighborhoods that have become “food deserts” after four Walmart stores and a Whole Foods closed.
Johnson announced last week that his administration would partner with the nonprofit advocacy group Economic Security Project to put stores in underserved areas of the city.
Local Republicans are not pleased:
Republican politicians in the Democrat-run Windy City blasted the plan as something out of “Soviet-style central planning.”
“Take all the problems private chains face in low-income areas, then add in amateur management by a bureaucracy, Chicago-style political corruption in hiring and contracting, and a limited range of products,” said Steve Boulton, the chairman of the Chicago Republican Party.
“Private chains should just pull out of all the neighborhoods, because the city stores will have better police protection and lower prices subsidized by the long-suffering Chicago taxpayer.”
“Food deserts do exist in Chicago neighborhoods, but the answer is promoting capitalist prosperity and stopping crime, not injecting more socialist dependency,” Boulton added.
Again…what could possibly go wrong?
We’re seeing a concerning trend these days.
Governments are getting way too big for their britches. They want to control every facet of our lives, up to and including how much businesses can charge for the food we eat.
Obviously, I don’t like to go to the store and find that a box of Triscuits costs $7. But I can choose not to buy the Triscuits. I can go buy other things that are more reasonably priced. Once the government begins to interfere and companies are no longer making profits, not only will products still be expensive, but they’ll become harder and harder to come by.
We saw semi-empty grocery stores for the first time that I recall in my lifetime during the Covid-induced supply chain crisis in 2020. We’ve never fully bounced back from that. The supplies that refilled the shelves were smaller, often lower quality, and far more expensive.
This, of course, leads governments to come up with “solutions” and add more restrictions and regulations. Instead of letting the free market thrash it out, they’ve made it more and more difficult for farmers and small stores to recover. I fear that we’re rapidly moving toward a world where you can only shop at Walmart, Amazon, and CVS.
Every time the government gets involved in things that should be simple – like producing, selling, and buying food – this is another way that they can control people. It’s happened time and time again throughout history but people are so desperate for solutions that they think, “It’ll be different this time.”
Coffee the Christian way: Promised Grounds
It won’t.
What are your thoughts?
I urge you to work on your food supplies. Please check out How to Feed Your Family No Matter What. This is a printed collection of nearly 500 pages of a decade’s worth of Organic Prepper articles on food production, acquisition, and preservation that will help you regardless of what kind of control is exerted over our food supplies.
Are we looking at more collectivization of food here in North America? Do you think we’ll see more price caps or government-owned food distribution? Do you think this is a good thing and will help? Do you think this will hinder our economy from recovering?
Share your thoughts in the comments section.
About Daisy
Daisy Luther is a coffee-swigging, adventure-seeking, globe-trotting blogger. She is the founder and publisher of three websites. 1) The Organic Prepper, which is about current events, preparedness, self-reliance, and the pursuit of liberty; 2) The Frugalite, a website with thrifty tips and solutions to help people get a handle on their personal finances without feeling deprived; and 3) PreppersDailyNews.com, an aggregate site where you can find links to all the most important news for those who wish to be prepared. Her work is widely republished across alternative media and she has appeared in many interviews.
Daisy is the best-selling author of 5 traditionally published books, 12 self-published books, and runs a small digital publishing company with PDF guides, printables, and courses at SelfRelianceand Survival.com You can find her on Facebook, Pinterest, Gab, MeWe, Parler, Instagram, and Twitter.
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
