Groundbreaking New UN Report on How to Feed the World's Hungry: Ditch Corporate-Controlled  Agriculture http://axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/Article_62488.shtml

The report also warns of the harmful impact of allowing volatile prices and dumping of subsidized commodities in poor countries. Dumping occurs when a country that subsidizes its farmers (like the U.S.) promotes overproduction and causes prices to fall very low. When the excess, cheap commodities are exported to poor countries that have no trade barriers, local farmers cannot compete on price. De Schutter notes, "While not the single cause, the lowering of import tariffs in poor countries and the inability of these countries to support their small farmers" were major causes of "massive rural poverty, rural flight, and widespread hunger." He adds, "I believe that it is vital for poor countries to be allowed to protect their farming sector and to be helped in supporting this sector."Will the United States heed De Schutter's advice, adopting a development approach that embraces agroecology and seeks trade agreements that are more fair to poor countries? Recently history does not inspire much hope.