Food prices could very well go higher this year

[MadHound]

The current headline news is focusing on Southern Missouri, Northern Arkansas, and the confluence of the Ohio, Missouri and Mississippi rivers. Nasty flooding, nasty storms, death and destruction.

But that isn't presenting the long term picture of what is going on here in the Midwest/Great Plains, which is namely water, lots and lots of water.

For much of the region, the breadbasket of the country, the ground has been saturated for months, since this past winter. Saturated ground means that farmers can't get out into the fields in order to do spring tilling or planting.

I live in rural Missouri, and so far, I've seen only about ten percent of the fields tilled, and none of them planted. Standing water has been common, both on high ground and in the fertile bottom lands.

While this could change, if the rain turns off, it seems that we're in a very rainy cycle. This could result in late crop planting, no planting, and most importantly, low harvest yields. Speaking of harvest yields, those thousands of acres of winter wheat that are ripening to maturity right now, it's going to be damn hard to get them out of the field in this weather.

All of this adds up to higher food prices later on this year.

Just thought I'd let you know. Meanwhile, the sky is starting to darken, and more rain and severe storms are on tap for tonight.

[dkf]

1. Sure looks like global warming to me.

But what do I know.

[cali]

2. food prices have been and are rising.

and weather in your neck of the woods is only a small part of it. Weather in China- drought to be precise is another factor. So are oil prices. Coffee is already at a 35 year high. Oh, and ethanol production doesn't help either.

[MadHound]

3. Like I said, my neck of the woods is the bread basket of the country

Cattle, hogs in Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa. Corn in Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska. Wheat in Kansas, the Dakotas, Minnesota. This entire area is soaked, and if planting is late and harvests are down, it will definitely have a major impact on food prices.

[LiberalLoner]

7. Wheat in Montana too (sorry, had to chime in for my home state, we grow great wheat there) n/t

[napi21]

4. We've planted our own vegies for several years already. I'm putting

in even a larger variety this year. I simply can't afford the cost of fresh produce even NOW let alone when the prices increase. We already have soe small tomatoes on the plants and the rest of them have a good start. I'd love to raise some chickens but I'm i a wheelchair and couldn't take care of them, so I guess I'm heading to being a vegetarian.

[EmmettKelly]

5. Could go higher? They already have been. But no worries

the government doesn't consider food and energy when calculating cost of living so those seniors on SS who didn't get an increase again this year are just imagining that they have to eat cat food.
Like someone said about gas prices, just trade in that gas hog. Same with food, just trade in that food burner for a more efficient stomach.

[Dj13Francis]

6. uh, yeah.

It ain't goin the other way... Up, up, up, and away...