Author Topic: Food getting scarcer and more expensive  (Read 1883 times)

Offline Well-Prepared Witch

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Food getting scarcer and more expensive
« on: September 03, 2014, 10:32:07 AM »
These both showed up in my newsfeed this morning.

Maine lobster becoming rarer due to warming in the Gulf of Maine
http://www.nbcnews.com/science/environment/consider-maine-lobster-while-you-still-can-n194611

Breakfast food costs higher due to drought, disease, changing tastes of country
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/why-breakfast-costs-a-lot-more-than-it-used-to/
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Offline JohnyMac

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Re: Food getting scarcer and more expensive
« Reply #1 on: September 04, 2014, 09:07:52 AM »
A few things to add to your post Wellie.

1) I just bought 15 lobsters for $5.99 a lb. (1 1/2 to 2 lb range) in Westport, MA. The first week of July the same
    size lobsters were going for $9.99 a Lb. There is actually an abundance of lobsters in my neck of the woods
    this year. Please keep in mind that there are two migration of lobsters - A southern and northern migration.

    The lobsters caught off of RI & MA are part of the southern migration which goes as far south as Cape May NJ.
    The lobsters from Maine are part of the Northern migration. Cape Cod separates the two migrations.

    Just some info to ponder on.

2) As we have all read, CA. is suffering a sever drought. This drought is added to by the states near ban on
     irrigating farms east of San Francisco/Stockton due to a small fish (Delta smelt or darter I think) which the EPA
     has classified as endangered.

     Now on the other hand, the grain industry in N & S Dakota is BOOMING! I speak to 1000meters via land line at
     least once a month and he tells me he is working six days a week 12+ hrs a day to handle the amount of
     grain coming in (Wheat, Barley, Oats) from farms from the area and as far north as Saskatchewan. He told
     me that grain elevator space is at a premium so often the grain is offloaded right onto train cars.

     1000meter reports to me as much as 75% of this grain is shipped via rail to Seattle/Tacoma and then shipped
      via barge overseas to the Orient.

Again just some food for thought to add to the articles you posted. 
 
     
« Last Edit: September 06, 2014, 10:07:34 PM by JohnyMac »
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Offline DMCakhunter

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Re: Food getting scarcer and more expensive
« Reply #2 on: September 04, 2014, 12:50:34 PM »
Thanks for the articles Wellie,

The combination of drought in areas of the US, the rapid build up of mandating ethanol from corn, a few winter storms and the pig virus have led us here. Most of this was predicted 3 years ago. Mandating ethanol from corn required more corn, so prices went up, so more land was put into production. The drought in concert with much higher feed prices caused herds to be reduced. Add a couple of storms (last one of note was last October in and around South Dakota) that killed thousands of animals and you have a further reduction in marketable cattle. Add in the hog issue and peoples changing tastes in food.
It is all coming to a head this year because people have finally woken up. Restaurants in my area have increased prices around 15% this year, whether from regulations, wages or food costs I don't know. It is definitely having an affect, fewer people eating out.
Hard to say how long this will last, everything goes in cycles - feast or famine. In a year or two we might see corn back in the low $2.00 range. That will help animal feed, so herds can be increased, but at that price some land may be put to other use, cutting production. And the cycle will be repeated. Herds increase, then prices drop, then herds decrease and so on.
here is a link for a historical chart on corn prices.
http://www.farmdoc.illinois.edu/manage/uspricehistory/USPrice.asp

Offline Well-Prepared Witch

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Re: Food getting scarcer and more expensive
« Reply #3 on: September 06, 2014, 05:27:14 PM »
Aaaaand... I bought some Ben and Jerry's and Häagen-Dazs today (don't judge!). I thought looked a little smaller, so checked the label.  14 oz. A pint is 16 oz. And they say there's no inflation!
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Offline JohnyMac

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Re: Food getting scarcer and more expensive
« Reply #4 on: September 06, 2014, 10:11:30 PM »
Ben & Jerry's you say  :what: Damn capitalists if you ask me!  :sarcasm:

MrsMac has started buying Yuengling Ice Cream now. She claims it is as good as B&J. I don't know as I am a only twist soft serve kind of guy.
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Re: Food getting scarcer and more expensive
« Reply #5 on: September 07, 2014, 01:17:33 AM »
Aaaaand... I bought some Ben and Jerry's and Häagen-Dazs today (don't judge!). I thought looked a little smaller, so checked the label.  14 oz. A pint is 16 oz. And they say there's no inflation!
At least they are not compromising on quality.