Ian and Mark, you need to look into
Codex Alimentarius and some of the legislation that the Feds have been trying to pass for the past couple of years to restrict small farms from producing and selling food. In the event of a food shortage, the black market will be a savior to those looking for food, but the prices will be inflated even moreso than what you can find in the grocery store because of the threat of hefty fines and imprisonment. Its really easy to brush off this subject as crazy "survivalism", but in reality it is a legitimate concern.
And you say that we can eat canned food and drink off brand soda, but what do you suggest for people like myself that already live like this and are struggling? Its really easy to paint every person with the same brush...