A Wall Street Journal columnist has advised people to 'start stockpiling food' and an ABC News Report says 'there are worrying signs appearing in the United States where some … locals are beginning to hoard supplies.' Now there's concern that the U.S. government may be competing with consumers for stocks of storable food. ...

But Hopkins said it was his opinion the government is purchasing huge quantities of food for stockpiles, and Americans will have to surmise why.

'We don't have shelters that [are being] stocked with food. We're not doing this for the public. My only conclusion is that they're stocking up for themselves,' he said of government officials.

Blogger Holly Deyo issued an alert this week announcing, 'Unprecedented demand cleans out major storable food supplier through 2009.' ...

Professor Lawrence F. Roberge, a biologist who has worked with a number of universities and has taught online courses, told WND he's been following the growing concern over food supplies.

He also confirmed to WND reports of the government purchasing vast quantities of long-term storable foods.

He said that naturally would be kept secret to avoid panicking the public, such as when word leaks out to customers that a bank may be insolvent, and depositors frantically try to retrieve their cash.

'[These] circumstances certainly raise red flags,' he said.