As I am sure everyone is aware, the price of most food items is rising. This is due to few issues, none of which I believe, are easily remedied.
U.S. and EU countries unreasonably subsidize agriculture operations including those that make $150,000 per year. Asian countries countries with recently booming economies such as India and China are increasingly consuming more meat, rice, and soy products. Poor harvests in Europe and Australia compounded by Russian satellite states such as Kazakhstan banning exports have made wheat that much more scarce.
U.S. farmers are producing less wheat due to “climate change” and the fact that wheat is more susceptible to disease than corn. More corn is being produced due to “climate change” and the fact that the price has risen dramatically due to the demand for fuels such as ethanol that emit less carbon dioxide when burned for energy. The growing of corn for bio-fuels is also largely subsidized by the U.S. government, again artificially increasing the desirability of growing corn and, unfortunately also, increasing the price of products based on the consumption of corn such as many meats and milk.
Due largely to government mismanagement of agricultural research to increase crop yields and of continual agricultural subsidies, many countries haven’t increased there crop yields per acre in years. The Philippines reportedly can’t even grow enough rice to feed their own people let alone export it. Top that off with an official policy against birth control and you have a dramatically increasing population and not enough rice to feed it.
My last note for the day will touch on the fact that contenders from both parties for the presidency have suggested that the government suspend the gasoline and diesel fuel taxes for the summer, “Truckers Rally to Protest High Costs for Fuel.” Now there’s a fucking brilliant idea. We are in enough trouble as it is with our national debt…let’s cut taxes some more. Where is the benefit? The price is likely to rise enough to cover any reduction incurred by eliminating the tax. And finally, why should we reward people for driving more at less cost all the while producing more pollutants?