U.S. Cattle Herd Is At A 61 Year Low And Organic Food Shortages Are Being Reported All Over America

zero hedge ^ | 1/23/14 | Tyler Durden

[Nachum]

Submitted by Michael Snyder of The Economic Collapse blog,

If the extreme drought in the western half of the country keeps going, the food supply problems that we are experiencing right now are only going to be the tip of the iceberg. As you will see below, the size of the U.S. cattle herd has dropped to a 61 year low, and organic food shortages are being reported all over the nation. Surprisingly cold weather and increasing demand for organic food have both been a factor, but the biggest threat to the U.S. food supply is the extraordinary drought which has had a relentless grip on the western half of the country. If you check out the U.S. Drought Monitor, you can see that drought conditions currently stretch from California all the way to the heart of Texas. In fact, the worst drought in the history of the state of California is happening right now. And considering the fact that the rest of the nation is extremely dependent on produce grown in California and cattle raised in the western half of the U.S., this should be of great concern to all of us.

A local Fox News report that was featured on the Drudge Report entitled "Organic food shortage hits US" has gotten quite a bit of attention. The following is an excerpt from that article...

Since Christmas, cucumbers supplies from Florida have almost ground to a halt and the Mexican supply is coming but it's just not ready yet.

And as the basic theory of economics goes, less supply drives up prices.

Take organic berries for example:

There was a strawberry shortage a couple weeks back and prices spiked.

Experts say the primary reasons for the shortages are weather and demand.

[2ndDivisionVet]

“Organic food shortages” - First world problems.

[Foundahardheadedwoman]

Another problem I think he failed to mention is the aging of our farmers. Offspring raised on farms are and have been leaving for years, not following in the footsteps of their forefathers. Another problem is the death tax which is causing the sell off and break up of family farms. I farmed for a while and the price is better for the farmer now, I am speaking of cattle now, the processors and middlemen and retailers make the bucks. Find a small local farmer and buy half a calf or as much as you need and invest in a deep freeze. In WWII people grew what were called Victory Gardens and my advise to you is to start now to do the same, if you want to eat. The war on the middle class is only going to get more intense as time goes on. You would be surprised what a 40’ by 20’ garden will produce, I started one in my neighborhood and gave away a lot of produce to the neighbors. The next year gardens were becoming the norm in my neighborhood. People have got to understand that they must rely on themselves in this new world we have entered. Make it as hard on the various governments to break you as possible. Give government officials a ration of 5hit whenever you have the misfortune to interact with them. Do not give in.

[Cowboy Bob]

I can imagine elites starving to death because there was no organic food available, and they couldn’t bring themselves to go shopping at a normal grocery store, or go to a fast food restaurant!

[2ndDivisionVet]

It's like Mr. Obama referencing the arugula prices at Whole Foods while campaigning in Iowa. There is not and never has been a Whole Foods store in Iowa.

[Gene Eric]

Well, we’ll just have to eat the govt.

[JoeProBono]

[Nervous Tick]

“Avoid food that comes from animals raised indoors”

I guess that means no Chinese or Taco Bell...

[Yosemitest]

There are MANY reasons for this reduction in the overall herd size.
With government regulation affecting so very many tangents of this issue, it's hard to choose which one to discuss first.
Gasoline, diesel, and LPG, as well as natural gas regulations, and ethanol are very large problems in this, and not just due to cost and availability.
Farmers can't keep buying new equipment to maintain his herd because of tighter and tighter bottom line margins.
Running older equipment is also difficult because today's newer mixes of fuel with ethanol destroys older vehicles with carbs and older O-rings and cork gaskets.
In short, it just isn't worth the trouble, no matter how much the farmer loves raising livestock and growing hay and shoepeg corn to feed them.
And now, some farmers have to deal with new "protected species" wolves and coyotes.
Then there's problems with Nile virus from mosquitoes in some areas, "Black-leg" in others, droughts driving up availability of good grass hay.
I could go on and on.
But the government doesn't help the cattle growers.
They stand in the way, by regulating out the poison in the insecticides he needs to keep the insects at bay.
They drive up the cost of fertilizers such as ammonia nitrate he needs to use on his second cutting of hay, since using the fertilizer he used for the first cut again, would "burn" the soil.
It's easy to understand WHY most farmers are simply throwing their hands up and "Selling Out".
Look at the cattle growers out west and the "water regulations" and how they prevent the farmer from getting the amount of water he needs for his livestock, and his grain and hay.

And yet most people don't understand WHY the cattle numbers in the United States are getting smaller.
The government is our ENEMY!

[Foundahardheadedwoman]

Nail meet hammer. Pretty much all the problems with our food supply can be traced to government policies. We sold out in 9 or 10 I think, and I still miss it very much. From what I have heard of the new regs farmers have to deal with, I don’t blame them for getting out.

Look at the proposed regs on refinery emitted particulates it is basically the same type of thing being done to the electric power cos. and will result in major increases in all types of energy. This is a war aimed at the destruction of the middle class and people had better become informed and get loud and whatever else it takes to stop these crazy 5OBs’.

[Tennessee Nana]

cold weather and increasing demand for organic food

:)

[Conspiracy Guy]

Bush’s fault.

[Psiman]

There is not and never has been a Whole Foods store in Iowa.

Unfortunately, a quickie google search turns up a Whole Foods Market in West Des Moines. Does anybody know, is that the liberal enclave of the capitol?

In happier news, I look forward to substantial hardship for the dirty f*cking hippies in this winter of organic food shortages.

[Psiman]

SWEET BABY JESUS! Put the warning ABOVE the picture; now I have to scrub my eyeballs.

[Elsie]

U.S. Cattle Herd Is At A 61 Year Low And Organic Food Shortages Are Being Reported All Over America

No need for COWS if you're a VEGAN; is there!?

Now that OTHER thing might just bite them back.

[Elsie]

Submitted by Michael Snyder of The Economic Collapse blog,

Move along. No agenda being driven here...

[Elsie]

OTOH...

 

Nationally, corn production for grain totaled 13.9 billion bushels, below the Nov. 1 forecast but up 29 percent from 2012. The average per-acre U.S. yield was 158.8 bushels.

Soybean production nationally reached 3.29 billion bushels, up 1 percent from November estimates and 8 percent higher than 2012. The bushel total is the third-highest in U.S. history and produced a per-acre yield average of 43.3 bushels.

 

http://www.hngnews.com/mcfarland_thistle/news/article_9cddd5a4-83a2-11e3-a94a-001a4bcf6878.html

[Elsie]

People have got to understand that they must rely on themselves in this new world we have entered.

And on Jesus for the next one!

[Elsie]

“Avoid food that comes from animals raised indoors”

 

 

 

 

 

 

  I'm indoors; lookin' outta da window at you guys...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looks like Fluffy is safe; but what about US???

 

[Elsie]

Running older equipment is also difficult because today's newer mixes of fuel with ethanol destroys older vehicles with carbs and older O-rings and cork gaskets.

You can still get the good stuff...

http://www.fuel-testers.com/find_ethanol_free_gasoline.html