In a world where grain prices are rising rapidly due to shortages and the agricultural move towards growing crops for bio-fuels, and where the threat of climate change seems likely to make crop growing even more of a risk, the last thing mankind needs is a new disease strain to threaten one of our basic foodstuffs.
Unfortunately, as this from The Telegraph reports, that is exactly what we have. UG99 is a strain of stem rust that can reduce wheat yields by 40% to 70% and has already spread far faster than scientists expected.
The only saving grace for us in Europe is that it is believed that Europe is too cold for UG99 to survive. But with the onset of climate change?
The £5 gallon (£1.10/litre) of fuel is here already. How long before the £5 loaf of bread?
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