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Subscribe to RSSGrocery stores around the nation may soon see a ripple effect of the drought, with animal-based, perishable foods costs increasing by nearly 5 percent in the coming year. NBC's Janet Shamlian reports
FORT WORTH, Texas – At a grocery store in Fort Worth, shoppers walk the aisles with coupons in their hands and off-brand products in their carts. A still-recovering economy has many looking to save a few dollars on their food bill, a job that is expected to become more difficult before year's end.
The lingering and pervasive drought that's taking its toll on farmers and ranchers across America's heartland now is expected to soon impact families across the country in the form of higher prices at the market.
How much higher is a tough question.
Rising costs
While the USDA predicts a 3 to 5 percent increase on everything from cereal to steak, some economists believe price hikes will come closer to 10 percent.
One study suggests a family of four will spend $600 more in 2013 to buy the same products they purchased last year.
"I'll be more careful about how much I buy so there's no waste and be careful what I buy," one woman told me as she was choosing oranges in the produce section.
Drought conditions plague much of the United States after a summer of scorching temperatures and a lack of rain. The dryness is affecting America's farmland, threatening crops like soybean and corn.
The pictures of wilted crops and hungry cattle – so prevalent this summer – tell us beef and corn will affected. But experts say even items like chips and peanut butter will be more expensive at this time next year.
“I think we’re going to see price increase across the board,” said Bernard Weinstein, an economist at Southern Methodist University. “Because corn, in particular, is such a ubiquitous product – it’s used in the manufacture of most processed foods. “
So the ripple effect will mean price hikes down every aisle – on products like cereal and chips.
"I will try to find the best price because we don't have a lot of extra money to spend on groceries," said one woman visiting from Ohio and shopping with her daughter.
The biggest hikes are expected to be on some of the staples – dairy, eggs, poultry, pork and beef.
However, beef prices may actually ease a bit in the short term, as ranchers who can't afford to feed their cattle are selling them off early – so there's a healthy supply hitting the market now.
But next year at this time, there will likely be shortages. So things like hamburger meat, sometimes considered a budget-friendly meal, may soon be priced more like steak.
North Carolina, the second largest poultry producer in the nation, is facing big challenges as the price of grain rises. NBC's Anne Thompson reports.
‘You’ve got to eat’
Talking to shoppers in this Texas market, they're aware of what's coming and resigned to it.
"Food is not a discretionary item," one man said as he put a carton of eggs in his basket. "You've got to eat."
From farmers’ pastures to our own kitchen tables, the drought of 2012 will exact a high toll.
More coverage of the drought:
Drought sends Mississippi into ‘uncharted territory’
‘Best year ever’ for some farmers outside drought region
Forced to sell cattle during drought, dairy farmers ‘just keep praying’ for rain
Americans tell their story of #Drought2012
In drought-stricken Wisconsin, farmers helping farmers
Emergency well drilling brings relief to farmers stricken by drought
Have you been affected by the worst drought in more than 50 years? Share your photos with us on Instagram, Tumblr or Twitter with the tag #Drought2012. You can also upload your photos in the box below.
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So has Rev Pat Robertson blamed this weather on the liberals yet? You know nature is on the 100 million repubs' side and not the other 7 billion people in the world, don't you? They own a weather maker machine probably, those secret gov projects were run only by repubs since Truman days is my guess, they don't give the dem presidents high enough security clearance level to know what gov repubs and their contractors are doing in those projects.
Actually, Pat Robertson only believes that God punishes sinners with natural disasters. Maybe the drought is God's way of punishing those Republican voters who support the GOP mission to transfer wealth from those who have the least to the richest members of society. Maybe God is getting tired of taxing the poor to fund the war machine. Perhaps God is not completely behind the death penalty. Maybe God would prefer that we really are acting as our brother's keeper.
Just a couple of days ago, there was an article suggesting that the drought won't affect food prices...especially with meat.
So, which is it?
@never stop asking questions, Meat is different when rancher and hog farmers can't get or afford feed they tend to slaughter there stock creating a temporary oversupply and thus lowering prices...but don't worry the price of meat will go up after that correction has been made!
never: ah, beaten to the post...the answer is..both are correct, as explained above me.
"Just a couple of days ago, there was an article suggesting that the drought won't affect food prices...especially with meat.
So, which is it?"
With the reduced quantities of animal feed due to the drought, there will be a temporary glut in the market for beef due to cattle producers selling off their herds to the slaughter houses. This leads to a temporary reduction in beef prices at the grocery stores-- so if you are into the ingestion of dead animal flesh stock up.
everyone will have to become vegetarians....no beef...oh wait...all the vegetables dried up....
If farmers stopped using so much water on livestock and feed crops there would be more than enough water for veggies to make up for the loss of protein and calories. Meat is very inefficient, the price is just hidden by corn and soy subsidies. I like 99c cheese burgers as much as the next guy but they're hell on the environment and natural resources.
So, can anyone give me a good answer on this: if they can build a pipeline to carry oil across country, why can't they do the same for water. a pipeline to take water to areas that are in need for irrigation of crops. It would be much safter than carring the oil...of course not as profitable for the oil lords.
This drought should expose the real believers in capitalism. Do they really believe in the free market? Do they reject all government regulation or do they merely reject regulations on themselves?
A free market without government interference does not prop up growers who lose their crops to extreme weather conditions. However, those farmers, most of whom vote Republican expect the government to help them. They only resent government interference when the government regulates in the interest of consumers or provides assistance to those who need food stamps in order to purchase what they grow. But, please ....... no regulations to prevent employee injuries and death ...... no regulations to ensure food safety ...... no taxes to build the infrastructure that allows them to get their crops to market. Just keep those subsidies coming.
Both Conservatives and Liberals seek limitless government expansion so long as they see the government as an agent to their interests and has its heart in the right place.
Please vote LIBERTARIAN; even if only this once.
its sad. The dems at least are staying true to their roots and core beliefs (that gov't can solve large scale societal problems), its a shame the GOP has gone from a "small gov't, keep gov't out of your life, no crazy wars" party to the party of the social activists who want to run your private life and start wars.
they used to be a real alternative to the dems, now they closely resemble each other in far too many ways.
Don your post just shows your ignorance on the conservative stance toward taxation and what it is to be used for. And Vermont, there are plenty of left wing activist out there trying to run our lives. Just this past year the FBI won the right from Obama to read our email at anytime, we now have drones flying through skies spying on us and Americans suspected of terrorism can be shot dead without being apprehended and standing trial, and all of this from the Obama Administration.
How could you possibly type that while laughing so hard?
Dennis
Your FBI story is an extension of the idiotic Patriot Act which was steamrolled through Congress during the recent failed Republican warmonger administration. There is nothing "left wing" about snooping into people's private lives .... that is Republican thing. Can you say "vaginal probe?"
You have to be kidding me....
An article appeared just a couple days ago on NBCNDC saying that there was no worry about the cost of food escalating because of the drought. I mentioned to the "seeder of the article" that I had saltwater waterfront property in Colorado to sell him.
Heck, even everyday news is becoming more like Mr. Obama's campaign efforts.....flip flop....flip flop.
Ido
Could you expose your partisanship just a little bit more? Romney changes position so often that the flip flop sandal will henceforth be known as "the Romney." I'm sure that you disagree with most everything President Obama stands for, but to accuse him of being a flip flopper is a bit of a stretch, don't you think?
link to that article please? I don't remember any articles anywhere saying food prices would stay flat even with the drought.
vermontguy: Try www.USGoverment.com or go to Google and type in "Food Prices in Drought 2012." It gives you all the numbers and reasoning behind it. The main words are "Minimal Impact from Drought"
vermontguy: Well let's try this again! Go to www.About.com US Government Info and the Title of the article is Impact of Drought on Food Prices by Robert Longley. Sorry about the misinformation above.
Don't worry, it's not real food anyway. GMO
Who the hell can afford steak? I've switched to pork two years ago. A 8 oz steak is $8-$12 at the grocery store, depending on the cut of the meat. A pork slice, 8 oz is $2.00. You do the math.
If steak is $16-24 per pound at your supermarket (while pork is $4) you have discovered a very strange grocery store. Why not try to make your story believable before you post? Exaggeration is understandable ..... but please ......
Don I'm going to give our friend Key the benefit of the doubt (ok it's a stretch)is talking about prime beef and top quality cuts (fillet mignon anyone) but even at that one can still get a pretty good cut of beef for $6 to $8 a pound.
Oh and just to stoke the fire a bit it was Jimmy Carter that approved the downgrading of beef in I think 1978
had my last steak before 2008....
Of course groceries will go up. They could have a typhoon on Neptune and they would go up, along with gas prices. Beats all I ever seen. Any excuse possible to keep breaking one off in us ordinary folk. Bet the fat cat politicians won't notice
Just a few days ago, this site stated that the drought was not going to affect food prices. So NBC, which is it?
Actually, Mean Girl, it is both. Prices will probably be fairly stable in the short term as cattle and other livestock are rushed to market and we use existing stockpiles of food, then rise as shortages occur. Predictions are OPINIONS and not every writer will share the same opinion ..... except if they work for FOX
link to that article so we can see the actual words, not your interpretation?
Good maybe higher prcies will keep some of the poor riff raff out of the grocery stroes...shorter lines hooray
You must have forgotten about "Food Stamps."
And if the present trend continues, then the lines will be longer!
Main stream media is a joke on our consciousness. Yesterday the main front page headline was food prices easing up despite drought, and the day before that it was another front page headline about the drought effects on rising grocery store food prices. This type of back and forth press is prevalent in the economic section as well as others.
They are not nearly as reliable as they were except for making money for themselves and their corporate advertisers on the backs of fearful consumers.
Meat prices are declining somewhat now because farmers are reducing their herds due to high feed prices.
Didn't the NBCNews have an article saying the opposite of this yesterday? That grocery prices were going to retreat?
Just a news flash to the news guys; flip flopping your stories doesn't constitute news. In fact, it's borderline plagiarism.
since no one can link to the story its hard to answer hearsay, but presumably, as posted above, MEAT prices are expected to go down TEMPORARILY as ranchers rush to sell cattle before it gets worse..then of course prices for both meat and grains will go up.
so unless you've got a different story, there is no contradiction here.
Lets repeal the laws that require ethanol to be mixed with our gasoline. This will lower both gas prices and food prices bringing some much needed releaf to our nations poor.
Think how high food prices are going to be next spring when the ranchers don't have any meat to sell because
they are sending their cattle to slaughter early due to high feed prices.
Romney-Ryan>--Let Them/Us Eat Cake. No Food Stamps For You. " No soup for you".
No medical treatment for you. Where are all of us starving ,sick people gonna be buried ? Republicans
gonna have to find somewhere cheap or free.
Do a Google search for "FEMA COFFINS"
No Sh_t Sherlock!!!Of course were gonna pay more,who do you think is going to pay for 90% of the new wells being tapped, so we get rapped from both ends. Does this mean I'll get an increase in food stamps? haha Maybe the idoit that wrote this article tell me.
The corrupt Republican OIL & FINANCIAL corporates that are SOLELY RESPONSIBLE for the drought because of their refusal to use MAGNETICALLY-DRIVEN ELECTRICAL ENERGY which is 100% NON-POLLUTANT and extremely cheap to build, operate & maintain for home & auto electricity should be forced to use their pipelines for water from ocean water desalination plants to supply water to the drought areas, NOT LOOK AT THEIR COMMODITIES MARKET FOR PROFIT!
99% American People, it's time to vote and vote 100% STRAIGHT DEMOCRATIC and let's rid our selves of their corruption ONCE & FOREVER!! The lives you save WILL be YOURS & your CHILDREN! BELIEVE IT!!
america will now be forced to become leaner now....not gluttonous
well now people will realize that climate change is here - when it begins to hurt them where it counts and aside from the physical dangers - now it is going to star taking food off youir table - because you cant afford it - remember who called this reality a hoax - when you really have to pay more maybe you will really believe its happening - thx GOP -
It's sad butt true.
Hello, I'd like to know why we are having a drought at all? They have been seeding the clouds since 1940's. They can make it rain, snow, and even control hail. Look it up. Notice how the clear blue skies in Colorado are not so clear any more? Seems hazy more than not...The clouds come, the lightening and some thunder, but no rain.
So, the real question is: Why is there a drought?
I live in Colorado. That haze you see is called smoke, first from all of our fires and now from California and Washington. And we had the wettest July on record here, after a long stretch of dry.
We could start by growing corn for food only instead of using it for bio-fuel as well. Hmmm, what's a hearty plant that we could use instead? Hemp! Oh yeah, that will never happen. Too many people are still too brainwashed and scared of a simple plant.
What a bunch of losers here. Deflect, blame and attack, the Democrat way!
What a bunch of losers here. Deflect, blame and attack, the GOP way! (both parties are really the same in that way)
This may be the link to the article that others have referred to about food prices not being affected by the drought:
Like Mean Girl asks: which is it? Are we or are we not going to be affected?
no link.
economywatch.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/14/13277650-consumer-prices-may-ease-soon-despite-drought-driven-spike?lite
you guys do realize that this article is a bunch of bull@!$%# right? lol this lie is so obvious through the fine print youre reading; there is no widespread drought! this article is full of baloney! there never was a widespread drought, and there never is; the government is making up this lie because the real reason why food prices are going up is because of inflation! hyperinflation! no drought or famine, just INFLATION, lol theyre telling you this lie so you guys will get pissed at the environment instead not the government and the feds who are the real culprits behind the rising food prices
there is no drought, its all a well spun lie; the government made this lie up so the people will not panic about inflation, but that is the real cause why food prices are going up; BECAUSE OF INFLATION, not because of some widespread drought or some bull@!$%# like that but because the american dollar is becoming less valuable by the day; im suprised though because the lie actually worked; some of you people actually believe in this made up drought
so they faked all the pictures? Brainwashed everyone living in the country? pretty impressive!
What's most impressive is how they almost got rid of the Mississippi River.
david copperfield is turning green with envy!
75% of Corn has been drought effected That is why its crazy right now to use our corn for ethanol or gas By using too much corn for our gas it makes it more expensive for farmers making prices at our grocery stores to go up. Corn is in almost all of our foods. We should have been prepared to use our abundant supply of Natural Gas
Yup, the poor and the middle class are again screwed. Obama is putting have of our grain in car gas tanks which makes them get poor mileage. So people starve to death. Oust the great assassin!
Sorry but you just printed Bio fuel lie #1. After corn is used to make alcohol the remainder call brewers paste is used as ANIMAL feed. Farmers have been counting on the lost cost brewers paste for dececdes for feed. Shut down the bio fuel plants does nothing but kill jobs and bankrupt a diffrent set of farmers.
It won't phase me because I am almost at rock bottom because of Obama's policies or lack of. The drought was unavoidable because of mother nature, Obama has no excuses other than being a complete idiot.