Sticker shock at the grocery store

http://www.twincities.com/ci_17498475?nclick_check=1 ^ | 02/28/2011

[Red in Blue PA]

In nearly every supermarket aisle, food prices are starting to rise.

General Mills just announced higher prices for breakfast cereals, Yoplait yogurt and Nature Valley granola bars. Last month, it raised prices on flour, pizza rolls and Green Giant vegetables.

Hormel Foods recently raised the price of Spam and Jennie-O turkey, with more increases to come. Caribou Coffee said it will follow other coffee sellers in raising prices. And Target's chief executive said last week, "We will need to raise prices to offset higher costs."

After years of quiet on the inflation front, a six-month spike in the prices of grain, meat, dairy, energy and oil is squeezing through the U.S. food system. The wave hasn't hit consumers full-on, but it's coming.

"The fact is, all commodities are going up," said Edward Usset, a grain-marketing specialist at the University of Minnesota. "Fiber, fuel, metals, just across the board, everything is going up."

On Friday, corn soared another 25 cents a bushel — the daily maximum — meaning that corn prices have virtually doubled in six months. Wheat prices are up 32 percent in that time. Hog prices, up 30 percent. Milk prices, up 21 percent.

The Consumer Price Index hints at the changing tide. In 2010 food inflation was calm, inching up just 1.5 percent. Then in January, food prices rose 0.5 percent for the month, and "all six major grocery-store food groups posted increases," the U.S. government reported.

[Red in Blue PA]

Start stocking up.

[Doofer]

Not only higher prices but smaller portions.

[ladyvet]

nearly every supermarket aisle, food prices are starting to rise.

No...they started to rise about two years ago...they are skyrocketing now.

[San Jacinto]

Putting ethanol in gasoline raises the price of food and gas. Higher fuel costs raises food prices more. So we pay higher prices for fuel AND food— and get crappy gasoline to boot. Your Govt. at work!!

[PissAndVinegar]

“Hormel Foods recently raised the price of Spam”

*awaits riots in the streets of Hawaii*

[4Runner]

Four rolls of Scott toilet tissue for FOUR DOLLARS at Wal*Mart last week. That’s insanity. It’s all recycled paper. Three and a half bucks of it was probably Teamsters Union transport costs.

[Christian Engineer Mass]

Now people will remember that when they print money, they are stealing from you.

[Delta 21]

Higher prices, smaller packages. Been doing this for years and years and years.

NOT news.

[hondact200]

Looks like Aldi’s is a better bet to shop. I just saw and online ad that Aldi’s is dropping its prices.

Thanks for the heads up and Hormel the Turkey Spam is great. I will have to stock up at the nearest Woodman’s Grocery in Appleton, WI and hit Aldi’s there too.

[from occupied ga]

awaits riots in the streets of Hawaii*

Nah, they'll just increase the haole tax to pay for more welfare to the native hawaiians. Wouldn't want them to actually work - interferes with their lifestyle.

[Red in Blue PA]

Alot of people make fun of SPAM, but that is actually a perfect food to have stocked for times like these. Precooked, and lasts indefinitely. I saw this morning that hog futures were at the highest levels sine 1986, so it looks like SPAM will only be going up in price.

[MichaelP]

After years of quiet on the inflation front

We've had inflation since 2008 with the last run up in oil prices.

Mike

[Red in Blue PA]

Thanks for the heads up and Hormel the Turkey Spam is great

Will have to try that. Just saw that they have Hot and Spicy SPAM with Tabasco too.

[Jim from C-Town]

Prices are already up around 30-40% over the last couple years. It is called STAGFLATION. This is what happened the last time we elected an Obama/Carter.

[Red in Blue PA]

Forgot to add, looks like SPAM is one of the only sectors of the economy which is booming. From a 2008 article.....can only imagine the production lines now!

Spam Turns Serious and Hormel Turns Out More

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/15/business/15spam.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1299676021-Mjen/MjBXf6nHPtX5 EXIw

[ladyvet]

During the cold war I was living off base while stationed in Germany. My landlord always wanted me to buy him Spam from the PX. He had just about starved to death after the war and was what we now call a “prepper”.

[MrB]

Hey, all you have to do to hide inflation, like these bathturds in the 0bama administration are doing,

is exclude food and energy prices from the inflation index.

[Red in Blue PA]

Russian Premier Nikita Kruschev actually credited SPAM with helping his armies survive during WWII.

http://blog.aurorahistoryboutique.com/tag/nikita-kruschev/

[Texas Fossil]

Fuel is doing a cost push on everything, but will reduce some demand and shift demand to other products.

BUT the SERIOUS DANGER is from the consequences of the HR2748/S.510/HR2751 FDA Food Takeover Bill that the Lame Duck Session Passed in the last hours of the 110th Congress and the “Resident” at 1600 Penn.Ave. signed into law. This monstrosity could engineer real hunger in the U.S. It is projected to cost 1.4 billion Dollars. It is said to require the creation of 17,000 new “FDA food inspector jobs” (most outside the U.S.).

If you are not aware of the consequences of this legislation, it is time for you to do some homework.

The Senate passed this mess with a “voice vote” (not wanting to be identified as to who voted for it) and then found they had to send it back to the House because it was an appropriations bill. The house replaced the content of an already existing HR2751 Bill and it was sent back to the Senate where is passed. They want to hide those votes, but I have a record of them archived.

[pnh102]

Starting to rise? Where has the author of this article been for the past, say, 15 years?