Since 9/11, our government has asked us to individually plan and prepare for surviving emergencies such as earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, power outages and terror attacks. But surveys show less than half of our adult population have done so. Emergency preparedness plans include storing enough food, water and fuel to last several days or weeks. Preparations may also include plans to shelter in place, evacuate unsafe buildings, access shelters and administer first aid. Some worry we are totally unprepared for a large-scale disaster –particularly a worldwide catastrophe which could prevent other nations from sending aid. One of the worst such disasters would be a nuclear, impact or volcanic winter resulting from a nuclear missile exchange, an asteroid or comet impact, or a super volcano eruption. The aftermath of any of these events occurring anywhere in the world would likely be much the same – the loss of several growing seasons due to years of cold weather.

Some advocates wish to begin storing grain near our population centers. They claim creating and maintaining a strategic grain reserve, as we have done with petroleum, is one solution to our preparedness problem.
Critics say such an effort is impractical because it is too expensive to purchase, store and secure food – which must also be regularly rotated and replaced anew. They claim individual households are better able than the government to store emergency preps. Others disagree, saying preparations on this scale could only be accomplished by our government. They also say a strategic grain reserve would act as a hedge against volatile food and animal feed prices.

Proposed Legislation: To create and maintain a strategic grain reserve
Prospective Sponsor: Rep. Garret Graves (LA)