There has been a lot of talk lately about food stocks. Spam-maker Hormel (NYSE:HRL) and egg producer Cal-Maine (CALM) are two downturn picks we’ve published in recent days. Even in a recession, the logic goes, people still have to eat.

Today, The Sovereign Society’s Investment Director, Eric Roseman, says France’s Groupe Danone (EPA:BN) is another excellent way to play the downturn.

The world’s largest fresh dairy company posted strong earnings last week. And it is set to benefit from a correction in commodity prices.

High grain prices aren’t just hurting hog farmers, they’re damaging ethanol producers too.

If prices causes ethanol plants in the Midwest to close, it could flood the market with unused corn, says Tom Dyson. Expect to see a big fall in corn prices in the near future…

Even without ethanol plants closing corn prices are already starting to fall…

Corn prices could hit $10 a bushel this year, reports MarketWatch.

According to the report: “A large loss of acreage could slash U.S. corn production and push next season’s year-end stocks to the lowest level since just after World War II, some analysts said.” If bad weather continues in July and August, corn prices could rise to $10 a bushel, said Shawn Hackett, president of agriculture futures brokerage Hackett Financial Advisors.”

On Thursday, Jennifer Yousfi told Money Morning readers three ways to profit from record meat and dairy prices — both of which are closely connected to the price of corn.

Editor’s Note: Money Morning’s Jennifer Yousfi has been talking a lot about the impact of rising corn prices on US food producers. With input costs of animal feed spiraling out of control, many producers are struggling to keep their heads above water. For investors, says Jennifer, this means no “slam-dunk” profit play. But Jennifer says she’s found three companies that she thinks offer good bargains…

Although meat-and-dairy prices are expected to zoom even higher from their current record levels, this slice of the commodities boom won’t be a slam-dunk profit play for investors: Many food producers are watching the revenue gains they’re reaping from the rising market prices get wiped by even bigger spikes in commodity-related expenses.

“We are in the early stages of what will become a big mess for producers” of food products, including meat-and-dairy offerings, Greg Wagner, a senior analyst at Ag Resource Co., told the Dow Jones News Service. Over the next few years, retail food prices “will rise like never before.”

Editor’s Note: Daily Reckoning editor Bill Bonner thinks it’s time to get out of the cattle business – why bother with meat when corn prices are sky-high?

Editor’s Note: Corn prices have hit record highs today and commodities expert Kevin Kerr says they are only going higher. High fuel costs are pushing food prices higher. Kevin says the solution is to think locally. Food sources will need to be closer to the final consumers. The old way is simply not sustainable anymore…

Renewed Midwest rains has corn and soybean prices through the roof, reports AP. Corn prices and soybean prices hit all-time highs following more heavy rains in Midwestern states, which left replanted crops once again under water.

Clusterfuck Nation author James Howard Kunstler, writing in The Daily Reckoning Australia, has an apocalyptic view of the future of US agribusiness — based as it is on “cheap oil and cheap natural-gas-based fertizer.” James says it will take a convulsion it will be dragged kicking-and-screaming into a new reality. Meanwhile, Americans are entering a season of food hoarding…

Corn prices surged to a record high today following flooding the Midwest.

Reuters reports that “front month July corn on the Chicago Board of Trade rose to a contract high of $7.57-3/4 a bushel, up more than 3.5 percent from Friday’s close, while July 2009 soared to an all-time peak of $8.07.”

Get ready to pay through the nose for food, says Brian Hunt in DailyWealth:

The states of Iowa and Illinois are the world capitals of corn production. Over 27 million acres there are devoted to growing corn.

Retail sales actually went up last month – how is that even possible?…The Beige Book says the U.S. economy is ‘generally weak’… The sky’s the limit for electronic money – but not so for real wealth…America’s money is snapping back… Calling into question the U.S.’s car culture…the next big thing in the search for an energy alternative…and more!