Tag: Food Supply

Veggies Are Next

First if was some stuff about Bird Flu and the price of eggs shot up by 50+%…..then Donny imposed his tariffs and everything became more and more expensive….first it was the prices for meat….

Of course I felt obligated to pass on what I had read about this rise….

Expensive Being A Meat Eater

So like any other normal person I decided to supplement my smaller meat portions with veggies…..now that is not going to happen….

Wholesale food prices rose 1.4% from June to July, with one big subsector leading the way: fresh and dry vegetables, which surged 38.9% in that same time period, per the AP. That’s the largest month-on-month spike for veggies since March 2022, as well as the biggest increase in a summer month since record-keeping for this data started after World War II, reports Axios, citing Bureau of Labor Statistics data. The outlet notes that these wholesale stats could portend a jump in prices soon at the supermarket as well.

So how much does this “veggie-flation” have to do with the Trump administration’s ongoing global trade war? “Because we get most of that produce across the border, and they’re imports, the tariffs have a lot to do with that,” Phil Kafarakis, CEO of IFMA The Food Away From Home Association, tells Axios. “Over a third of our vegetables are imported,” agrees Michigan State University food economist David Ortega, who tells Marketplace that items like tomatoes, cucumbers, cauliflower, and asparagus are especially susceptible to higher tariffs.

Kafarakis, meanwhile, tells Axios that things could even get worse in the fall, when harvest season begins, with a possible decline in farm workers to gather that produce amid Trump’s accompanying immigration crackdown. “Getting into October, the quality and then the capacity of what we’re able to bring in is going to be a real, real problem,” he notes. “Prices will soar to keep demand in check.”

I guess that means if I want to get more healthy food I will be eating more fruit….that is wrong as well for a lot of our fruit comes through import and that means higher prices for this as well….

Since produce is getting more expensive does that mean vegans will be paying through nose more so than us god awful meat eaters?

Thoughts?

Finally a short economics lesson…..just a look at how much we spend on groceries….

According to the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) July 2025 food plans, a moderate-to-liberal-cost grocery plan for a single adult ranges from roughly $300 to $450 per month, depending on age and gender. For a family of four, following a moderate-cost USDA food plan, monthly grocery spending would rise to around $1,337.60, depending on the ages of the children — a 3.4% increase from $1,293 in the same month in 2023. Even the low-cost (thrifty) plan would cost a family of four $994 a month.

Using the USDA’s food plan as a guide, a single adult, earning the national median monthly income of $5,175, should plan on spending roughly 7-9% of their income on groceries. Meanwhile a family of four earning the national median household income, which was $80,610 via the Census Bureau’s 2024 report, should plan on spending as much as 20% of their income on food every month. However, while these USDA figures offer a structured benchmark, they’re ultimately falling short of what most people are actually spending. The BLS has found that the average American is spending $504 on groceries monthly, but the USDA suggests that a single adult should be spending $400 instead — a 22% difference. Even worse, this is before factoring in things like regional price differences, dietary needs, bad grocery shopping strategies, and food waste.

Read More: https://www.moneydigest.com/1938236/how-much-money-average-american-spends-on-groceries-per-month/

And this is far from over…..who would have thought that in this land of abundance eating could become a luxury?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Up,Up And Away

Remember the egg price thing from a few months ago…..well that is starting to right itself (that is what we are told)….but as egg prices start a downward trend beef prices are headed in the opposite direction…..higher and higher.

Why are we subjected to yet another price increase?

Anyone firing up the grill this summer already knows hamburger patties and steaks are expensive, but the latest numbers show prices have climbed to record highs.

And experts say consumers shouldn’t expect much relief soon either.

The average price of a pound of ground beef rose to $6.12 in June, up nearly 12% from a year ago, according to U.S. government data. The average price of all uncooked beef steaks rose 8% to $11.49 per pound.

But this is not a recent phenomenon. Beef prices have been steadily rising over the past 20 years because the supply of cattle remains tight while beef remains popular.

In fact, the U.S. cattle herd has been steadily shrinking for decades. As of Jan. 1, the U.S. had 86.7 million cattle and calves, down 8% from the most recent peak in 2019. That is the lowest number of cattle since 1951, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Many factors including drought and cattle prices have contributed to that decline. And now the emergence of a pesky parasite in Mexico and the prospect of widespread tariffs may further reduce supply and raise prices.

Here’s a look at what’s causing the price of beef to rise.

Smaller herd

The American beef industry has gotten better at breeding larger animals, so ranchers can provide the same amount of beef with fewer cattle, said David Anderson, a livestock economist at Texas A&M.

Then in 2020, a three-year drought began that dried out pastures and raised the cost of feed for cattle, according to the American Farm Bureau. Drought has continued to be a problem across the West since then, and the price of feed has put more pressure on ranchers who already operate on slim profit margins.

In response, many farmers slaughtered more female cattle than usual, which helped beef supplies in the short term but lowered the size of future herds. Lower cattle supplies has raised prices.

In recent years cattle prices have soared, so that now animals are selling for thousands of dollars apiece. Recent prices show cattle selling for more than $230 per hundredweight, or hundred pounds.

Those higher prices give ranchers more incentive to sell cows now to capture profits instead of hanging onto them for breeding given that prices in the years ahead may decrease, Anderson said.

“For them, the balance is, ‘Do I sell that animal now and take this record high check?’ Or ‘do I keep her to realize her returns over her productive life when she’s having calves?’” Anderson said. “And so it’s this balancing act and so far the side that’s been winning is to sell her and get the check.”

https://www.wctv.tv/2025/07/22/beef-prices-have-soared-us-heres-why/

Since I am not a rancher or in the beef industry I am relying of reports for my info but if any reader has first hand knowledge of this situation please let my readers know…..

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Say Good-Bye To Wheat

For the last several weeks I have been watching and writing about the news coming out of the farming industry….and several people have commented about the pampered lifestyle of farmers (something I do not agree with in any way) but my posts were not a critique of farmers but rather how these news stories could impact our food supply….(that fact was duly missed as usual).

The people that are down on farmers are usually the first people to piss and moan about the price of a loaf of bread…..that is sad that they cannot see past their petty grievances.

The most recent report I read was the possibility of farmers giving up on the cultivation of wheat….

Once known for endless golden wheat fields, America’s heartland is watching its “amber waves of grain” fade as more farmers abandon wheat in search of crops that can actually turn a profit, reports Reuters. Wheat farmers across the Great Plains are facing a tough reality: low prices and persistent drought are making wheat less profitable, pushing many to switch crops or leave fields unharvested. In states like Nebraska, wheat acreage has dropped by more than half since 2005. Nationwide, farmers have abandoned between 20% and 33% of the winter wheat crop each year since 2020.

The combination of ongoing drought, abundant global wheat supplies, and stagnant prices—hovering around $5 per bushel—has squeezed profits. Even bumper crops have not improved the outlook: prices remain low due to competition from other major wheat-producing countries. While some farmers can recoup losses through crop insurance, most agree this isn’t a sustainable business model. The region now sees many producers turning to corn, soybeans, or livestock for better returns. Corn’s value in Kansas, for instance, is more than double that of wheat, despite wheat occupying more acreage.

Unlike corn and soybeans, wheat isn’t used by the biofuels industry, the Western Producer reports. “Unfortunately, our little wheat kernel doesn’t have enough sugar in it or enough of anything in it for us to be a viable commodity for renewable fuel program,” says Chandler Goule, chief executive of the National Association of Wheat Growers. But the decline is more than economic; it’s a cultural shift for a region whose identity is tied to wheat farming, per Reuters. Farmers have invested in irrigation and experimented with new wheat varieties, but they are still finding it hard to make money. As Lon Frahm, a large-scale Kansas farmer, put it: “It’s heritage, but there’s no profit.”

If this is reality then that means that the US may have to import wheat and that means if tariffs remain that any product made from wheat will be more expensive….like a loaf of bread for instance.

If you want to comment then please keep it on topic.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Factory Farms And The Next Pandemic

WE all have suffered through the bird flu…..eggs prices shot up and have remained up although they have come down a bit since the beginning of the crisis….there has been some concern with beef cattle, swine, etc….but what is causing this ‘scare’?

Throughout human history, zoonotic diseases, illnesses that jump from animals to humans, have shaped civilizations, triggered pandemics, and rewritten the course of economies. The Black Death, which ravaged Europe in the 14th century, originated from bacteria transmitted by fleas that lived on rats. Ebola, HIV, and SARS-CoV-2, which caused COVID-19, all had animal origins. As humanity’s relationship with animals has become increasingly industrialized through factory farming, the risk of zoonotic spillover has escalated.

Some diseases are transmitted through direct contact with animals, such as rabies from a bite or tuberculosis from infected cattle. Others spread through the consumption of poorly cooked meat, contaminated dairy products, or wet markets that sell live animals. Vector-borne diseases, where insects like mosquitoes and ticks act as intermediaries, transfer pathogens from animals to humans.

The intensification of industrial agriculture has amplified these risks. The crowded, high-density conditions of factory farms create a breeding ground for disease. Animals raised in confined spaces experience high levels of stress, which weakens their immune systems and increases their susceptibility to infections. When a pathogen emerges in this environment, it can mutate rapidly and spread with alarming efficiency.

This is particularly concerning with influenza viruses, which frequently originate in birds and pigs before adapting to humans. Bird flu has been detected in sheep, raising concerns about the virus’s ability to cross species boundaries. Such a discovery underscores the unpredictability of zoonotic diseases, particularly in terms of cross-species transmission and the potential for rapid evolution of health threats.

Philip Lymbery, author and global CEO of Compassion in World Farming, thinks the danger is serious: “Factory farms are a ticking time bomb for future pandemics,” he says. “Hundreds of coronaviruses are in circulation, most of them among animals including pigs, camels, bats, and cats. Sometimes those viruses jump to humans.”

Antibiotics, widely used in industrial farming to promote growth and prevent disease, exacerbate the issue. Overuse has led to the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which can jump to humans through direct exposure, contaminated food, or environmental runoff from farms. The World Health Organization has repeatedly warned that antibiotic resistance could become one of the greatest threats to human health, rendering common infections untreatable. COVID-19 was a wake-up call, but it was not the first time a zoonotic virus wreaked havoc on global health. The HIV/AIDS epidemic, which originated from nonhuman primates, has killed over 40 million people since it emerged in the 20th century.

https://www.counterpunch.org/2025/06/13/factory-farms-and-the-next-pandemic/

What are the chances of a new pandemic waiting for a time to strike?

I say they are pretty good because there is an administration that seems to care little for prevention or safety and that lack of concern could exacerbate the rise of another major impact on the food supply.

Any thoughts on this possibility?

On a side note–there is a farmer in Wisconsin suing the Trump administration….

A Wisconsin dairy farmer alleged in a federal lawsuit filed Monday that the Trump administration is illegally denying financial assistance to white farmers by continuing programs that favor minorities.

The conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty filed the lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture in federal court in Wisconsin on behalf of a white dairy farmer, Adam Faust.

Faust was among several farmers who successfully sued the Biden administration in 2021 for race discrimination in the USDA’s Farmer Loan Forgiveness Plan.

The new lawsuit alleges the government has continued to implement diversity, equity and inclusion programs that were instituted under former President Joe Biden. The Wisconsin Institute wrote to the USDA in April warning of legal action, and six Republican Wisconsin congressmen called on the USDA to investigate and end the programs.

https://apnews.com/article/trump-republican-usda-dei-lawsuit-5a524fedc611cb201a43c1967e3f12bf

Seriously an administration that hates brown people and women would choose them over some white dude?

I am hoping that anyone in Wisconsin can shed some light (Hopefully Grouchy Farmer will enlighten us)

Any thoughts on this possibility?

And life goes on in the wacky world of Trump and MAGA.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

All That And Tomatoes Too!

There is always something in the news about the food supply most times it is something is recalled because of some lingering disease….well this time it is tomatoes.

The Food and Drug Administration has updated an ongoing recall of tomatoes to its most severe level, warning there is a high risk of “serious adverse health consequences or death” to those who consume affected products. The recall, for potential salmonella contamination, applies to tomatoes distributed in late April. The New York Times reports consumers are unlikely to come across fresh tomatoes that have been recalled at this point, but the bacteria can survive for months in wet environments, so if any affected tomatoes were frozen, they could still be impacted. The tomatoes were sold in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, Newsweek reports. No illnesses have yet been linked to the tomatoes.

But wait there is more tomato news….

Framers in Florida are destroying their crops before market because of tariffs and lack of labor.

Thousands of unharvested tomatoes are being plowed over in South Florida in a sign of what is to come under President Donald Trump’s tariffs—or tariff threats—and immigration policies. Reporting by Miami’s local Fox affiliate, WVSN, revealed that farmers are cutting their losses and letting crops go to waste due to increased picking and packing costs.

“You can’t even afford to pick them right now,” Heather Moehling, president of Miami-Dade County Farm Bureau, told WVSN. “Between the cost of labor and the inputs that goes in, it’s more cost-effective for farmers to just plow them right now.” Moehling said tomatoes are currently selling between $3 and $4 per box.*

But farmers need to sell a box of tomatoes for closer to $11 to break even, according to Tony DiMare, president of DiMare Homestead, which owns over 4,000 acres of tomato farms in Florida and California. American farmers haven’t been able to out-compete cheaper Mexican tomatoes currently flooding the market, DiMare told WVSN.*

Even though the tariffs on Mexican imports never took effect for goods compliant with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, including U.S. tomatoes, the threat of tariffs alone was enough to disrupt the U.S. market, DiMare told WVSN. “The Mexican industry exported, in some cases, double and triple the daily volumes to beat being subject to the 25 percent tariff in February and March and the 10 percent tariffs in April. That just devastated our markets in the U.S.,” DiMare said.

To protect U.S. tomato farmers from the harm caused by tariff policies, Trump plans to impose an import duty of 20.91 percent on most tomato imports from Mexico starting in July. The action, which will end a 2019 trade agreement establishing a minimum price on Mexican imported tomatoes, is expected to drive up the cost of tomatoes for U.S. consumers, according to Michael Strain, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

https://reason.com/2025/05/12/trumps-tariffs-and-immigration-policies-destroy-thousands-of-acres-of-tomato-crops-in-florida/

Granted I am not a farmer but I cannot understand why no income is better than some.

Will these farmers get government subsidies because of the loss of crops?

If someone can explain the economics behind this destruction then please do so for me it makes little sense.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Expensive Being A Meat Eater

For most people it is grilling season….I grill year round so I am in the middle of my season…..but it is Memorial Day weekend the unofficial start of Summer and the grilling season.

All across America grills are being fired up in preparation for those burgers or steaks or chicken…..and there may be a future that is not too pleasing.

I am a die hard meat eater…..although I am not a big fan of lamb but all others will be on my menu at some point…..my favorite is bison but it is already expensive.

So when I read a report about the possible coming of more price hikes on meat I was just shaking my head….

Plenty of grocery staples are going to start costing more in 2025 thanks to inflation, supply chain disruptions, and the implementation of President Donald Trump’s proposed trade tariffs. Meat is one grocery item that’s frequently imported from other nations, and as a result, consumers will see its cost rise as these tariffs take effect. From poultry to veal, meat across the board is about to get more expensive — even Costco foods like beef and seafood will likely start to see price changes.

While these tariffs, which charge international companies to export goods to the U.S., will theoretically raise the nation’s revenue and stimulate domestic production, the reality is that this higher cost of offshore trade will likely get passed onto consumers through elevated in-store and online prices. In some cases, countries have responded with retaliatory tariffs. China, for example, announced a tariff boost from 34% to 84% (and eventually up to 125%) on imported U.S. goods, though fortunately, both countries agreed in May to significantly slash these respective increases, if only for a three-month period.

While tariffs are not the direct reason for every jump in price across the industry, they may prompt ripple effects when combined with other economic and environmental factors. Here are the meats worth keeping an eye on.

Let’s begin with my favorite…..beef….

Certain types of beef, like wagyu and Kobe (a variety of wagyu), are known to be expensive. But more affordable varieties, like ground beef and sirloin steak, have long been meal staples for those watching their spending, as they’re filling, high in protein, and generally quite accessible. In the coming months, however, these go-to foods might pose a budgeting issue for the average American consumer.

Since the start of the pandemic, supply chain issues have already boosted the cost of bovine meat, and while that particular industry challenge has eased somewhat, new economic difficulties are once again threatening to place this ingredient out of reach for some. The domestic cattle population, which currently sits at around 86 million, is the lowest it’s been since 1951, according to USDA data. Imported beef from countries like Canada and Mexico helps fill out the U.S. supply — a boon during summer grilling season when U.S. demand for beef is at its peak — but 25% tariffs on Mexican and Canadian imports may result in higher costs getting passed onto consumers. Additionally, in May 2025, President Donald Trump suspended Mexican beef imports for 15 days following an outbreak of screwworm among the country’s cattle, further straining trade relations.

According to data from the St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank, the average price for a pound of beef in April 2025 was $5.80 — an increase of nearly 13% from the previous year (via USA Today). Over the course of 2025, the USDA forecasts that beef prices will continue to rise at least 6.3%.

Veal

Veal is essentially a younger, more expensive version of beef. It comes from male calves, specifically those that are under 18 weeks old. Like lamb, there’s plenty of controversy surrounding the production and consumption of veal, but it remains a staple on restaurant menus and in butcher shops across the country.

Like beef prices, the cost of veal is expected to rise at least 6.3% over the course of 2025, according to USDA data. The agency states that “tight supplies and continued consumer demand” are the cause of increases across the bovine meat industry, and one reason for this tight supply is consistent drought. According to the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS), the latter half of 2024 set drought records, with all states experiencing some level of dryness except for Alaska and Kentucky. Since some domestic beef producers grow their own cattle feed, lack of precipitation often leads to less food and smaller herds.

A swell of inflation in January 2025 and proposed tariffs affecting U.S.-Mexico trade will no doubt also play a role in elevated veal costs. As Jason Walker, co-owner of California’s StarWalker Organic Farms, told The New York Post in February 2025, current record-high prices at cattle auctions are great, “If you’re selling cattle … If you’re buying cattle, it’s not a great thing.” As more ranchers attempt to sell, their herd sizes continue to shrink, thus perpetuating the cycle.

Pork

As beef prices rise, many consumers may start opting for more affordable proteins like pork. There are plenty of ground pork recipes you can make on repeat to get as much value as possible out of this ingredient, but it’s still not immune to the effects of economic upheaval. Per USDA data, pork prices will likely rise at least 1.8% over the course of the year, and while this may seem negligible considering larger projected increases like those affecting beef, people grocery shopping on a budget are likely to feel the squeeze regardless.

Increased demand due to seasonal shifts in consumer behavior may also impact prices. In May 2025, economist David Anderson, Ph.D. told National Hog Farmer that the meat industry gets “a seasonal run going into Memorial Day” and that “demand during grilling season can influence prices across most everything beef, poultry, and pork.” Furthermore, data shared by the USDA in April indicates that domestic pork production in 2025 will equal just 28.1 billion pounds — a 350 million-pound drop from March projections. Dips in production paired with increasing demand may signal further price hikes.

As a result of the ongoing trade war, pork exported from the U.S. into China also faces a potential 81% tariff, which may threaten profit margins and supply in the American hog industry. While tensions appear to be easing as certain tariffs are slashed, market uncertainty remains.

Chicken

While some consumers may find themselves relying more heavily on chicken as an affordable protein source as red meat prices continue to rise, that affordability may only be relative. USDA data indicates that throughout 2025, the price of chicken will likely increase by about 1%. This isn’t a huge margin, but as other grocery staples also grow more costly, higher chicken prices will only contribute to financial strain for many shoppers.

Both labor shortages and the increased price of feed have raised overall production costs in the poultry industry, and these increases will likely become evident throughout the year as chicken products receive heftier price tags. While tariffs won’t necessarily factor into these increases directly, this was a possibility when China’s tariffs on U.S. poultry exports from companies like Tyson Foods and Pilgrim’s Pride were on the rise back in April. Regardless of direct tariff impact, American consumers’ increased reliance on this bird is hard to disentangle from rising beef costs.

In the short term, chicken prices may also rise to meet demand leading up to summer occasions like Memorial Day. Beef is the most popular meat to grill over the holiday weekend according to data shared by GV Wire in 2024: On average, 34% of people named steak as their meat of choice for Memorial Day that year, and while burgers came in second with 19%, chicken managed to snag third place with a respectable 18% (beating out ribs with 11% and hot dogs with just 5%).

Turkey

Much like chicken, turkey is another type of poultry that will see price increases throughout 2025. The USDA’s 101st Annual Agricultural Outlook Forum highlighted “declines in turkey production” in 2024, resulting from decreased prices over the two previous years. In turn, this reduced production — now forecast to decrease 3% in 2025 for an annual total of 4.97 billion pounds — is slated to drive up turkey prices during the year. The agency also noted declines in turkey exports during 2024, which may further strain availability.

Furthermore, in late April 2025, the Veterinary and Food Administration confirmed the presence of avian influenza in certain turkey products imported from Denmark. As health authorities continue attempts to quell a similar virus in chickens — the same one driving up the cost of eggs nationwide — the U.S. turkey industry might experience changes in supply and, as a result, price.

As far as tariffs are concerned, turkey does not appear subject to the same rise in costs Americans are seeing for other protein staples. Much U.S. turkey is produced domestically, and in fact, according to USDA data, chicken is the more commonly imported poultry. For example, between May 4 and 10, 2025, 367 metric tons of turkey were imported to the U.S. exclusively from Canada, whereas chicken imports from Canada, Chile, and Mexico clocked in at 1,599 metric tons over the same period. With President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canadian imports in effect, however, turkey prices may continue to fluctuate.

Fish

The seafood market was seemingly one of the first to see effects from President Donald Trump’s tariffs. By mid-April 2025, U.S. fish vendors were noticing price increases across the industry, especially on products from places like Canada and Brazil. Imports from countries across Asia, such as China, Vietnam, India, and Indonesia, are also likely to see price changes. Steep tariffs on items like cod, halibut, and swordfish have upended production for many vendors, who must now seek out alternative trade partners to keep consumer prices in check.

Norway, a major salmon supplier for the U.S., has faced a 15% tariff since April. According to SalmonBusiness, this could drive up prices by $7 or more per fish. Demand for domestic seafood options will likely rise as these tariffs take effect, and this in turn could further impact prices as well as local supply. According to April 2025 data from Expana, salmon fillets exported from Europe saw a 12% price increase over the course of a week, while Chilean fillet exports rose 6% over the same period. The time-sensitive nature of transporting non-frozen fish may also exacerbate these industry changes. Prices will no doubt continue to fluctuate as trade negotiations continue — especially since about 85% of seafood in the U.S. is imported, according to WFAE.

Shellfish

Much like fish such as salmon and halibut, shellfish is another type of seafood that will see major price shifts as a result of tariffs. Shrimp, lobster, crab, and scallops are just some of the items in this category that have already seen price surges as international vendors navigate new trade limitations.

As an example, let’s take a look at the shrimp industry, which will see tariffs ranging from 10% to 32%. One reason these increases will notably affect shoppers is that most of the shrimp Americans consume annually — over 90%, according to The New York Times — is imported from countries like India, Indonesia, Ecuador, and Vietnam. While Ecuador is only subject to 10% tariffs as of this writing, the other countries listed are (or initially were) subject to much higher rates. Indonesia, for example, could see tariffs as high as 32% under President Donald Trump’s plan, thus making consumer goods imported from the island nation that much more expensive. Vietnam, meanwhile, would have been subject to 46% tariffs before negotiations slashed this number to 10%.

Not everyone in the shellfish industry is pessimistic about these changes, however. The East Coast Shellfish Growers Association expressed support for higher import tariffs in a March 2025 letter to an assistant U.S. trade representative, citing “substantial government subsidies and reduced regulatory costs” as two major advantages offshore competitors have over U.S. shellfish farms — advantages the group believes tariffs would remedy. Other entities like Get Maine Lobster emphasize that domestic shellfish options will remain tariff-free amid a shifting international market.

Read More: https://www.mashed.com/1865103/meats-grab-before-prices-increase/

Be prepared for the coming increases….or switch to that tasteless crap called….plant based meat.

Happy grilling my friends.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

An Automated Farm?

Let’s change the pace of the day….

There is a report that some of the agribusiness has taken on the chore of bring automation to farming…..but will this help the price of food or will it just mean more profits and less safety?

Jeremy Ford hates wasting water. As a mist of rain sprinkled the fields around him in Homestead, Florida, Ford bemoaned how expensive running a fossil fuel-powered irrigation system on his 5-acre farm was—and how bad it was for the planet. Earlier this month, Ford installed an automated underground system that uses a solar-powered pump to periodically saturate the roots of his crops, saving “thousands of gallons of water.” Although they may be more costly upfront, he sees such climate-friendly investments as a necessary expense—and more affordable than expanding his workforce of two. It’s “much more efficient,” says Ford.

A growing number of companies are bringing automation to agriculture, reports the AP in a broad look. It could ease the sector’s deepening labor shortage, help farmers manage costs, and protect workers from extreme heat. Automation could also improve yields by bringing greater accuracy to planting, harvesting, and farm management, potentially mitigating some of the challenges of growing food in an ever-warmer world. But many small farmers and producers across the country aren’t convinced. Barriers to adoption go beyond steep price tags to questions about whether the tools can do the jobs nearly as well as the workers they’d replace. Some of those workers wonder what this trend might mean for them. A few examples of the tech:

  • Frank James grew up on a cattle and crop farm in northeastern South Dakota that has had to cut back on farmhands due, in part, to lack of available labor. They swear by tractor autosteer, an automated system that communicates with a satellite to help keep the machine on track. But it can’t identify the moisture levels in the fields, which can hamstring tools or cause the tractor to get stuck, and requires human oversight to work. “You build a relationship with the land, with the animals, with the place that you’re producing it. And we’re moving away from that,” says James.
  • Extreme heat, drought, and intense rainfall have made detasseling corn in the Midwest even harder. Jason Cope, co-founder of farm tech company PowerPollen, created a tool a tractor can use to collect the pollen from male plants without having to remove the tassel. It can then be saved for future crops. “We can account for climate change by timing pollen perfectly as it’s delivered,” he says. “And it takes a lot of that labor that’s hard to come by out of the equation.”

I do not foresee this benefiting society and its people but rather increasing profits and allowing the greed to grow deeper and deeper.

Any thoughts?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

What Is The ‘Meat’ Of The Problem?

Has anyone bought a pound of ground beef lately?

If you have then you have noticed just how expensive even something as mundane as hamburger has become…..in my area that a pound of that cheap cut of meat is about $5 and it goes p from there.

There are plenty of cows for the industry then why is it so damn expensive?

Of course there are many reasons for the increases from food shortages for th animals to unjust pricing in the distribution….below is just none of the things that the government should be looking into….

A former grocery executive told a progressive media outlet in a video released Tuesday that “people fucking need to go to jail” over a long-running scheme in which dominant U.S. meat industry players have used information provided by a little-known data analytics company to increase prices and pad their bottom lines.

“This is probably one of the top five food scandals of the 21st Century, and we can’t underplay it,” said Errol Schweizer, the former vice president of Whole Foods’ grocery division. “People need to go to jail for this shit.”

Schweizer’s comments come at the start of a nine-minute video produced by More Perfect Union, which tells the story of how Indiana-based Agri Stats, the seemingly bland data firm, “built a network used by the nation’s largest meat companies,” including Tyson Foods, Hormel, and Cargill.

“Inside that network, America’s meat barons share secret data,” says More Perfect Union‘s Eric Gardner, the video’s narrator. “It’s alleged that Agri Stats organizes and then launders that information across the industry. Companies weaponize it, restricting output, manipulating the market, ultimately raising your prices.”

Watch the full video:

https://www.commondreams.org/news/meat-industry-price-gouging

The government, well the Senate, has proposed the Price Gouging Act of 2024…..

In response to the pervasive issue of skyrocketing prices on essential products, a group of US Senators, including Pennsylvania’s John Fetterman and Bob Casey, have taken a bold step by introducing the Price Gouging Act of 2024. This legislation, spearheaded by Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, aims to curb the practice of charging customers grossly excessive prices, particularly during periods of exceptional market shock.

The proposed bill demands transparency from public companies, requiring them to disclose any changes in pricing and provide a clear rationale for such changes in their Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings. Senator Fetterman emphasized the necessity of halting the exploitation of consumers, stating, “For too long, corporations have gotten away with jacking up prices to line their shareholders’ pockets with the hard-earned dollars of working Americans. This bill will put an end to that.”

One of the key focuses of the legislation is addressing the exploitation of crises, such as the ongoing pandemic, by certain corporations to bolster their profits unfairly. Moreover, provisions within the bill seek to safeguard small and local businesses that may be compelled to adjust prices in good faith.

US Senators Introduce Price Gouging Act of 2024 to Tackle Excessive Pricing

This is a valiant effort but I fear it has an uphill battle for success if that….At least they are trying to do something to help with these rising prices….but will it help?

Thoughts?

Let the weekend begin!

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Food Prices Are Too Damn High

If you shop for groceries these days then you are already mumbling that mantra……prices started accelerating during the pandemic…..prices shot up and stayed up….

U.S. grocery prices jumped significantly after the federal government issued lockdown guidance in March 2020 in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic. 

Shutdowns across the globe, instituted to curb the spread of the virus, caused disruptions in shipping food from producers to manufacturing facilities to warehouses and supermarkets and restaurants.

Prices first began to surge in April 2020, but the biggest increases came in 2022, as inflation started to erupted and the Federal Reserve tightened monetary policy. These, plus a confluence of other factors, led to the biggest food-price increases in decades.

Here are the four biggest causes for the food prices to shoot higher.

https://www.thestreet.com/economy/why-are-groceries-so-expensive

I am old so I can step back in history and remember when a pound of sugar was 19 cents, a loaf of bread was about 25 cents, a head of cabbage was less than a quarter and a pound of hamburger was less than a dollar….but those memories are worthless these days just something to bitch about, right?

Okay let’s look at the prices….say since the last election in 2020…..

If you feel like your trips to the grocery store have been putting a bigger dent in your wallet lately, you’re not imagining things. Food prices in the United States have risen significantly over the past few years due to high inflation.

During the last federal election on Nov. 3, 2020, food inflation was running at just 3.9% annually. Fast forward to March 2024, and the latest data shows food prices have risen a whopping 25.8% since then. To put that in perspective, a basket of groceries that cost $100 in November 2020 would now set you back $125.80. That’s an increase of nearly $26 for the exact same food items.

The biggest price hikes have been for specific grocery categories like eggs, dairy products, cereals and baked goods. But price rises have impacted all food groups across the board.

The inflation data shows egg prices were among the worst hit, with the average price soaring 54% from November 2020 to March 2024. So if a dozen eggs cost you $2 at the election, that same dozen eggs would now average around $3.08.

Dairy products like milk, cheese and butter also saw major price hikes over the past 3.5 years. Milk increased 36%, with a $3 gallon now costing $4.08 on average. Cheese and butter prices jumped around 30% over that period.

The price of cereals and bakery products, like bread, rolls, crackers and cookies, wasn’t far behind — rising around 28% since November 2020. So a $4 box of cereal back then would now cost you about $5.12 on average.

The cost of meat, poultry, fish and eggs collectively rose 23.5% since the last election. Beef prices were up around 20%, with chicken increasing over 25%. So $5 worth of ground beef in 2020 would now average $6.

For fresh fruits and vegetables, the price hike averaged around 21% over that 3.5 year period — a $3 pound of apples in November 2020 would now typically cost you $3.63.

hile overall food inflation started gradually pulling back after that August 2022 peak, prices have remained stubbornly high for most grocery categories compared to pre-COVID-19-pandemic levels.

So while the latest 2.2% annual food inflation rate for March 2024 seems more manageable, it doesn’t negate the cumulative 25.8% increase in grocery prices since that November 2020 election. And it remains to be seen if that downward trend in food inflation will continue in the coming months.

That is just since the last election, 2020, and now the grapevine has been setting the consumer up for higher meat prices with the accusation that swine and beef may be infected with bird flu.

This is a never ending thing…..food prices go up and seldom come down….maybe there should be some sort of speech from the president on the handling of food prices…

Just a thought!

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Someone Explain Higher Food Prices

Anyone that keeps an eye on the economy has written something about the cost of food these days….I know I have….

There are many explanations from the absurd to the sublime…..from it is all Biden’s fault to the price gouging of some (most all) food distributors…..all the words written have done little to curb the upper trajectory of prices…..some groups will give lip service to make us all feel better but little action comes.

I read another article that tries to explain this thorn in the consumers ass….

This piece is in Food & Wine…..

Back in 1993, political activist Jimmy McMillan coined the phrase, “The Rent is Too Damn High” while running for mayor of New York, and later, governor of the Empire State. Three decades later, consumers across the country are saying the same thing about rising grocery prices.

Federal statistics bear that out. Since the pandemic began, the Federal Reserve says grocery prices have risen 25%, leaving consumers — and even President Biden — fuming over food costs. And supermarkets and big box stores are scrambling to reverse that perception. 

In February, Walmart implied that consumers should expect to see lower prices. Doug McMillon, its president and chief executive, contended that certain items were lower than in 2023 — including eggs, apples, and deli snacks, although he acknowledged they remained higher for some products such as asparagus and blackberries. 

Meanwhile, global home furnishings and food giant Ikea says it is cutting prices on hundreds of items. In a December email, it told consumers to look for signs reading “New Lower Price,” which have begun appearing in stores. It’s also offering weekday dining specials to members of the Ikea Family program, with meatball dinners for $3 on Mondays, and 50% off entrées on Fridays. But, effective Feb. 1, Ikea eliminated the program’s 5% across-the-board discount, meaning members were paying more for some items.

https://www.foodandwine.com/usa-inflation-food-costs-8622334

Did this piece explain it for you?

Not so much for me….I still believe that instead of lip service from Biden and the Dems the president could do something besides talk….after all he is the president but that means little these days….he is president that owes lots of favors to special interests and agribusiness is one of this entities.

Prices will remain high and continue to go up as long as there is no backbone to change this thing in DC.

Sorry guys but I cannot eat politician’s words….I wish we could literal get them to eat their words.

Side Note:  A couple of days ago I wrote about the egg shortage in Europe and I asked how long will it take before we are told the same thing….apparently not long at all for this is the report I read today….

The largest producer of fresh eggs in the US said Tuesday it had temporarily halted production at a Texas plant after bird flu was found in chickens, and officials said the virus had also been detected at a poultry facility in Michigan, the AP reports. Cal-Maine Foods, based in Ridgeland, Mississippi, said in a statement that approximately 1.6 million laying hens and 337,000 pullets, about 3.6% of its total flock, were destroyed after the infection, avian influenza, was found at a facility in Parmer County, Texas.

“The Company continues to work closely with federal, state and local government officials and focused industry groups to mitigate the risk of future outbreaks and effectively manage the response,” the statement said. “Cal-Maine Foods is working to secure production from other facilities to minimize disruption to its customers.” Cal-Maine said it sells most of its eggs in the Southwestern, Southeastern, Midwestern, and mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The company said there is no known bird flu risk associated with eggs that are currently in the market and no eggs have been recalled.

Here we go once again!

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”