Are you spending more money on food? 8

Comments View as Flat

1. 

   Sir Oolius Posted 8:07 am
   16 Apr 2008

   marginalUS CPI rose 0.3% last month.  
   Poorer countries likely are feeling the pinch more.

   Permalink

2. 

   GreenEngineer Posted 8:14 am
   16 Apr 2008

   Why I haven't been impactedMy own experience (which I suspect is similar to many of those here) is that there has been little impact on the costs of the food I actually eat.  We eat organic nearly always, farmer's market extensively for veggies, grass-fed beef, and we have our own chickens and meat rabbits.  I think as a result of the fact that we're already eating premium food (or eating outside the agro-food system entirely), we're largely insulated from price increases driven by the rising cost of corn and other grains.  I haven't done the research to support this, but I suspect the biggest cost increments will be in the cheapest (and worst quality) foods, which are highly processed and mostly made out of corn.  The upshot of course is that the poor will, once again, bear the brunt of the impact of our excesses (in this case, corn ethanol).

   Permalink

3. 

   LPS Posted 10:16 am
   16 Apr 2008

   It's all aboutoil.

   Permalink

4. 

   LGT Posted 12:32 pm
   16 Apr 2008

   It's not all about OILMore than 40 percent of households in Japan have been "significantly affected" by recent increases in the price of daily necessities ... survey showed that the biggest price increases were in products such as pot noodles and spaghetti. While the price of tissue paper, gasoline, kerosene and other items went down ...
   http://msrb.wordpress.com/2008/04/17/japan-the-land-of-ri ...

   Permalink

5. 

   Jonas Posted 8:29 pm
   16 Apr 2008

   It is about oil and agricultureI think LPS means: high food prices are the result of high oil prices. Which is correct.
   
   

   Permalink

6. 

   Easterbunny Posted 11:37 pm
   16 Apr 2008

   No, not the price of oilNo, it's not correct.
   Food prices are high for a number of reasons:
    - Loss of arable land because of changing climate
   
    - Poor yields because of lack of water (drought)
   
    - Poor yields because of soil exhaustion (unsustainable crop practices)
   
    - Diversion of arable land from food crops to crops for biofuels
   
    - Increasing cost of fuel (oil) used in farming and food transport
   
    - Increasing demand (more mouths to feed)
   Did I miss any? Does anyone know the relative contribution of each of these forcings?

   Permalink

7. 

   LGT Posted 11:56 pm
   16 Apr 2008

   A well-informed commentEasterbunny, VWP!
   Degradation of productive land is also caused by
   Soil erosion, salination, deforestation, overexploitation for fuelwood, overgrazing, nutrient depletion, large scale agricultural activities, industrialization and desertification.
   Loss of topsoil to levels below the critical level is a major cause of poor yields
   Measuring an average of about 6.6 inches (16.76 centimeters) deep, topsoil is the upper layer of earth's crust. Topsoil comprises of a mix of humus, mineral and composted materials giving rise to most of the soil's biological activity and supplying nutrients to plants and therefore to animals. After air and water, topsoil is Earth's most vital resource.
   http://edro.wordpress.com/2008/02/18/topsoil/

   Permalink

8. 

   amazingdrx Posted 12:30 am
   17 Apr 2008

   It's the dollarAs many bush apologists will point out, on oil prices, food prices, housing, whatever.  Adjusted for inflation prices are actually lower than at most moments in our past.
   If prices are measured in proportion to average wages, then the picture is cleared up.  If you plug your own income into this adjusted framework it gets personal.  
   Who wants to live generically, with average Walmart food.  Did you ever taste their bread?  That makes it personal.  
   So how to save money and be healthier and eat better food?  All at the same time?  
   Eat more vegetable products and less animal products.
   Grow your own and cook it yourself.  
   Buy what you can't grow, locally from a family organic farm.  
   Eat less.  
   Don't believe polls, hehey.  
   
   http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog

   Permalink