Hi All!  Here are the headlines for this week.  We have an interview with Lester Brown, the milk drought, world hunger, urban farming in Hong Kong, drought news and more.

Food is the New Oil, and Land is the New Gold – video interview with Lester Brown and an accompanying article.

Milk Cow Culling Accelerates as Prices Jump –  “U.S. milk production is headed for the biggest contraction in 12 years as a drought-fueled surge in feed costs drives more cows to slaughter.  Output will drop 0.5 percent to 198.9 billion pounds (90.2 million metric tons) in 2013 as the herd shrinks to an eight- year low, the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates.”

One in Eight Going Hungry –  “One out of every eight people in the world is chronically undernourished, the United Nations’ food agencies said on Tuesday, and aid groups warned that rising food prices could reverse gains in the fight against hunger.”

Fearing Tainted Food, Hong Kong Turns to Urban Mini-Farms –  “As millions of Hong Kong consumers grow increasingly worried about the purity and safety of the fruits, vegetables, meats and processed foods coming in from mainland China, more of them are striking out on their own by tending tiny plots on rooftops, on balconies and in far-flung, untouched corners of highly urbanized Hong Kong.”

Drought Leaves Cracks in Way of Life –  “Lost amid the withered crops, dehydrated cattle and depleted ponds that have come to symbolize the country’s most widespread drought in decades has been the toll on families whose livelihoods depend on farming.”

Global Food Prices on the Rise –  “Global prices for meats, dairy products and cereals resumed rising last month, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization reported Thursday, adding to concerns that developing countries may face food shortages.”

Even After Rain, Facing Long Term Water Needs –  “With its pretty rivers and lakes, this city of 95,000 people is sometimes called the oasis of West Texas. But San Angelo recently came within a year of running out of water, as it faced a severe drought that produced brown lawns, dying bushes and fear.”

Scientists Adopt Tiny Island as Warming Bellwether –   “Among the declines the researchers are noticing: historically hardy populations of gulls and murres are only half what they were 10 years ago, and only a few chicks hatched this spring. Mussel shells are notably thinner, and recently the mussels seem to be detaching from rocks more easily and with greater frequency…”