For Food's Sake

Four grain trading giants - collectively known as the ABCDs - dominate international grain trade in our global food system. Knowing who they are and what they do is vital to understand the whys and hows of our modern food supply.  A key branch of ABCD power and influence are their financial subsidiaries. Financialisation in the food system today has widespread and alarming implications. Local food movements, farmers and consumers must take heed of these global forces, or risk being crowded out by private interests pursuing profit over people and planet. Dr. Jennifer Clapp joins us to discuss: Who the ABCDs are, where and how they operate, and why they dominate Recent ABCD mergers and acquisitions and the impact of Trump’s trade war with China The merging of food & finance: the financialisation of futures markets How financial speculation helped fuel the 2008 food price crisis Why financial investors moved en masse to acquire farmland ABCD involvement in the financialisation of the food system How to reg