The Precarious Nature of Food

For many residents in the northeast of the United States and Canada, this has been a brutally cold winter. Record low temperatures coupled with recurring snowstorms and blizzards defy thinking about spring gardens, especially with more than 6 feet of snow on the ground in some communities. Despite disruptions in transportation and government and school closings, hardy New Englanders and Canadians maintained an ample supply of food and weathered the inconvenience of being snowbound for days on end with relatively few adverse effects. The food security of the region was never in doubt. Food disruptions due to weather, climate, conflict, or distribution difficulties create food security concerns throughout the globe. The three articles in this issue highlight some of the drivers of food insecurity at local, regional, and global scales.