Sixty-five percent (65%) of American adults are very concerned about rising food prices. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey found that 50% say they have had to cut back other spending to buy groceries.

Nearly half the nation’s adults (49%) believe that government policies are to blame for rising food prices, while 31% blame the free market.

With the Federal Reserve and other senior federal officials increasingly focused on climbing gas prices and other potential inflationary pressures, 51% of Americans believe the federal government needs to get involved to reduce food prices. Thirty-four percent (34%) disagree and say the market should be allowed to straighten itself out.

Nearly twice as many Democrats (66%) as Republicans (35%) think government action is the solution.

Investors are closely divided on the need for government intervention, with 42% favoring it and 44% comfortable with market forces alone. Non-investors endorse a government role by a 59% to 24% margin.

Politically, rising concern about food prices plays to the strategy of Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama whose campaign plans to focus on economic issues. Mr. Obama today (Monday) begins a 17-day nationwide speaking tour specifically to address economic concerns.

Commerce Department figures to be released later this week are expected to show food and gas prices continued to rise in May, pushing up the cost of living for all Americans. The Rasmussen Consumer Index shows consumer confidence at all-time lows.

The survey found that rising food costs are of more concern to women (70%) than men (58%) and blacks (75%) than whites (61%).

Not surprisingly those with lower income levels are the most worried, with a high of 77% of those earning under $20,000 a year followed by 73% of those earning $20,000-40,000 annually. Only 46% of those earning $100,000 or more are very concerned.

Similarly, 61% of black respondents as opposed to 45% of whites said they had to cut back in other areas because of higher food costs. Seventy-three percent (73%) of those earning under $20,000 annually and 57% with a yearly income of $20,000-40,000 also say rising food prices forced them to cut other spending.

Even 29% of those making $100,000 or more a year say they had to cut spending in other areas because of the increasing cost of food.

The United States’ enthusiastic backing of the biofuel industry, including plans to devote nearly a quarter of its corn crop to ethanol production, was criticized by a number of participants in a United Nations food summit in Rome last week. That focus is seen by international critics as contributing to food shortages and driving up prices. An earlier Rasmussen Reports telephone survey found that 54% of Americans believe that the push for alternative energy sources is driving up food prices.

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