Extreme Weather is Driving Up Food Prices

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I’m sure most everyone is aware of the record rains and flooding currently impacting parts of the East Coast. In the Carolina’s alone,  100′s of roads and bridges are closed. Dams are collapsing and farms are under water. While this is an inconvenience for those living in the area, the real impact will be felt by all of us at the grocery store.

Anyone who has purchased beef over the past few years has watched the price per pound rise to ridiculous levels. Due to the prolonged drought in the West, ranchers culled their herds because there’s little pasture and hay/feed has become prohibitively expensive.

Every one of these natural disasters lead to an increase in food prices. 

In the US we have 45 million people on food stamps with more crossing the border every day.

The average SNAP benefit is $127 per person per month. As the rising food costs are passed onto the consumer, people end up with less food or we have to raise the SNAP benefit to feed them.

Extreme weather is definitely having an impact on our food supply and pockets. As the delicate balance of nature continues to be disrupted, they will develop and push more and more GMO crops that can grow under any conditions in order to feed the masses.

Just take a look at this recent article that shines some light on what effects Extreme weather is having!,

Crop damage, flooding still major concerns amid heavy rainfall across NC

Gov. Pat McCrory and state officials held a press briefing Saturday morning where they said flooding and damage to the state’s agricultural sector continue to be among the major challenges facing the state following the heavy rain seen across North Carolina recently.

North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said farmers are beginning to see the impact of the continuous rain on their crops.

Troxler said fields are soaked, and fresh fruits are being damaged because of the rain. He said field crops are also being affected because farmers can’t get into the fields to harvest them.

Some of the apples in Henderson County are starting to split open because they’re waterlogged, and the longer harvests are delayed, the more damaged they will be, Troxler said.

Peanut and sweet potato farmers’ crops are under water at this time, Troxler said.

Because of the continuous rain, assessments can’t be performed.

“We will assess what the damage is after the event is over,” said Troxler.

Water coming in from the Atlantic Ocean is laden with salt, and that is detrimental to crops, he added.

He compared the current situation farmers are dealing with to “taking all your cash assets and putting them on a clothesline and watching them float away.”

Its something to think about!

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