Yep. Along with just about every other commodity necessary for survival there is a "hefty global surplus" of sugar according to Janet Whitman of Dow Jones Newswires.

Will somebody explain again why it's a bad thing (according to Bennet and Dodd) to stockpile in the face of global surpluses? Is it a good thing to deprive a third-world sugar farmer of his income for 1999? Is the Senate holding investigations on how much sugar Coca-Cola is stockpiling for 2000. Is it bad for Coca-Cola to stockpile?

Whatever you do, don't buy pork, beef, wheat, soybeans, corn, copper, crude oil, No.2 fuel oil, unleaded gas, cotten, steel scrap, aluminum or coffee. If you were to buy these things (like the miserable little hoarder that you are), then the people who grow that stuff and mine that stuff may actually be able to feed their families this year. It's much better to let it rot in the fields or lay underground.

Lumber and silver are in pretty short supply, but our fearless leaders probably aren't riding Warren Buffett's backside on his little market cornering attempt. Likewise, I haven't seen any of our resplendent senators try to discourage anyone from building a dream home (thereby hoarding precious lumber.)

Talk about a world out of balance.

-- Puddintame (dit@dot.com), March 02, 1999

Answers

I just finished listening to Bennett's hearing with food suppliers. I get the feeling that the congress people & the suppliers don't want anyone to stockpile because they're afraid that panic & chaos will be touched off by the empty shelves caused by their just in time inventory control being unable to forecast the big jump in buying. If any sudden big increase in buying occurs, there will be empty shelves at least for a short time until the shelves are restocked.

The food manufacturers will be the ones that will cause the big delay because they will have to gear up to actually make & package more beans & TP. Remember, these manufacturers also use just in time inventory control. Nobody stockpiles inventory anymore. This will take time, hence the problem with panic & chaos.

-- Mostly Lurking (Mostly Lurking @ Podunk .Texas), March 02, 1999.

But Agriculture Secretary Glickman, of all people, should be *encouraging* extra purchases now to help out his farmers. He could say it was the *patriotic thing to do*! He is in a better position than perhaps anyone else to promote calm preparation. Of course, agriculture is one of the federal agencies in Congressman Horn's doghouse, so it is too much to ask to expect Glickman to make a useful connection with Y2k.

-- Brooks (brooksbie@hotmail.com), March 02, 1999.