Posted on 09/19/2011 4:12:08 PM PDT by newzjunkey
… Beef, veal, pork, eggs and such dairy products as butter, milk and cheese have seen the biggest increases in the past year, said Richard Volpe, an economist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The price of groceries rose 5.4 percent from July 2010 to this July, according to the USDA's latest report. ...
Now the rising cost of energy, the weaker dollar and growing global food demand are driving the price.
Beef and veal prices are expected to increase as much as 8 percent this year, with pork projected to go up as much as 7.5 percent. Beef prices are expected to climb another 4.5 percent to 5 percent next year as well, Volpe said.
"There are a couple of really good reasons for that. For one — and this is a story that pertains to a lot of foods — the U.S. dollar is very weak. That means the purchasing power of people abroad is stronger. There is strong demand for our protein-heavy foods, such as meat and dairy," Volpe said.
Exports decrease the domestic supply. Cattle and hog supplies are near historic lows after an increase in feed costs led to a large-scale sell-off of beef and hogs in the United States in 2008, Volpe said.
Droughts and floods also have led to increases in the price of wheat, corn and soybeans, all used for animal feed. Higher fuel prices affect everything, but especially dairy products. ...
(Excerpt) Read more at sun-sentinel.com ...
Don’t forget the drought here in cow country. It will affect prices for at least four more years.
I am up to 62 birds....ducks, geese and chickens. I should have at least 200 to 300 at this time next year.
I sure hope my family learns to like eating ducks and geese. ;>) I’m told that Muscovy duck tastes like beef.... that would be great.
Too bad pipelines can’t be set up to bring water into these chronically parched areas from areas of the US that chronically flood. Water water everywhere, except where you want it.
For 2008, it was 215.495, for 2010 it was 214.136. Since the 2010 number wasn't higher, there was no COLA. I don't think anyone expects that number to be lower this year. It's more of a question of the size of COLA coming.
Latest estimates say the COLA could be 3.5% for 2012. Headline News
Normally scanners are set up to recognize bona fide coupons, which are rebated at a reasonable rate by the companies they promote. But multiple-couponing is going the way of the dodo, until food price pressures ease.
Well even food stampers should care, because the stamps/EBTs are issued in quotas measured in dollars. They are hit by higher prices too.
And the EPA wants to control DUST on farm and ranches.
Can’t have dusty cows and chickens no sir ree!
The establishment wings of the parties don't dare. Congress has the enumerated power to regulate the value of money.
I am probably not a typical purchaser of groceries. I lost my wife a few years ago and am not much of a cook. Typically I buy things which can be microwaved, or heated on a stove.
For what it is worth, my food costs have gone up dramatically, much more than 6%. I did notice around 6 months ago, many things went up by a huge amount, sometimes doubling in price. They have come back down but not to what they were a year ago.
5% my hiney. The same buggy of groceries that cost $150 in spring is $200 now.
And Michelle tells us to eat healthy. Healthy isn’t cheap.
Hell, the cheap stuff isn’t cheap anymore.
Win— preferably win BIG in 2012 or I see a slow slow death.
I wish! Our prices are way higher than that!
I suggest you get on it and learn as best you can, sir. I don’t see prices coming down. Grow some greens in a bucket. Turnips are super easy, eat the root and the leaves. Same with radish. Buy rice in bulk. beans too. Lots of info here and other places on the web. (I live on fish, wild pig, beans and ramen/rice for very little.)
Lots of frugal FReepers here to learn from. Just a thought.
God Bless.
Since I’m a stock up kind of person, I buy strictly sale goods and fill in with what I have.
We just moved to a more rural area of Ohio, down on the river across from W. Virginia. We now have two acres of very fertile land. We moved here too late to put in a garden this year, but our neighbors had a bumper crop of everything and kept us in produce most of the summer (great with four growing kids). One of the neighbors has chickens and has promised us one or two next year. Their 14 y.o. son is going to plow up a garden for us (they do a lot of truck farming and own a greenhouse a few doors down). I’ve started learning how to can produce so when the garden produces next year, I’m ready ;)
I believe by this time next year INFLATION will be one of the three primary issues to voters.
I actually grew up on a farm. Even after my parents quit farming they always had a large and excellent garden. I am fortunate in a way. I have all kinds of fruit trees including apples, pears, figs, Japanese persimmons, pecans, scuppernongs, plums, and satsumas. The apples are not all that great, (this is NW Florida) but the other fruit is good.
I do grow a small garden but only tomatoes and watermelons. Just getting too old to do more.
Times really have changed. I can remember Mother killing a chicken for dinner. We would kill hogs in the Winter. Always had a milk cow. Mother never bought anything pre-cooked. We probably could have survived without any store bought items but you do need a few things such as salt, pepper etc.
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