Once upon a time, in a land far far away, harsh weather conditions caused a crop shortage. The crops that were left were in short supply, and with growing demand, prices began to increase. This left many people wondering how they were going to afford many basic foods.

On the other side of the world…

Media-induced panic no longer comes as a shock to me. In their quest for viewers and readers, the media often irresponsibly incites mass hysteria. You may recall the epidemic of Bird Flu that was rumored to kill us all and the SARS scare that kept so many people indoors…

Did you know that Bird Flu has killed less than 250 people in the last five years? And that SARS is responsible for less than 800 deaths? Malaria, on the other hand, is responsible for approximately 3 million deaths per year, as are diarrheal diseases. The simple truth is that you are more at risk of a getting hit by a car or being struck by lightening than you are of contracting either one of these diseases.

I’m not saying we shouldn’t worry about bad things happening. Worry keeps us in check; it helps improve our judgment in the face of danger. But raw panic without reason makes every situation worse.

Since the media is always looking for the next best scare, I would like to announce: The Food Storage Panic of 2008

The background story

Australia, one of the largest worldwide distributors of wheat and rice, has been suffering through a seemingly never-ending drought. Where rice and wheat fields once flourished, only dry dirt remains. Over the past few years, this has caused a decrease in 98% of Australia’s rice and wheat.

As exports have lessened, demand has significantly increased. Coupled with rising oil and commodity prices, the amount of available grains has caused quite a stir in several countries.

Fortunately for the U.S., wheat, rice, and other staples are thriving. Our market has had no problem keeping up with demand—until the mass hysteria started.

The problem

When the media equated Australia’s problems with a worldwide epidemic, we all started rushing to the grocery store to fill our shelves with the things the media told us we need most. Distributors, not planning on such a high demand, have become backed up on outstanding orders. In the spirit of keeping a loyal customer base, retailers have begun to place purchase limits on certain grains, not because of a food shortage, but because of a distribution deficiency and an inability to predict the sudden increase in demand.

Luckily, our outlook is bright. Grain manufacturers are working double-time and limits on food are certain to be short lived.

Let’s take this a step further

Even though we are not actually in a state where food is scarce, what would happen to you if the situation we have been recently scared into believing was true? What if there was a worldwide drought and wheat, rice, oats, and other staples were unavailable to the masses?

Would you be prepared? Would your cupboards be full, or would you find yourself looking into the eyes your hungry children trying to explain how the last bag of rice was clawed out of your hands at the empty grocery store?

Like I mentioned earlier, worrying can be good, but having knowledge and information is better. Are you prepared for hard times? Are you aware of your preparation options? Panic is never the right answer, so take a deep breath and create a good plan.