Grocery prices reach 50-year high amid pandemic
Category: News & Politics
Via: john-russell • 4 years ago • 102 commentsBy: Charly Edsitty Due (ABC Houston)
KTRK By Charly Edsitty
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, experts say grocery prices are higher than they have been in 50 years.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, "The food at home index increased sharply in April, rising 2.6 percent...its largest monthly increase since February 1974."
April grocery sales showed a 4% price increase for poultry, meat and fish.
Cereal, baked goods and non-alcoholic beverages saw a 2.9% price increase.
The highest price spike was eggs, with a 16% increase.
Overall, grocery prices increased 2.5%.
Experts say the price increase has to do with supply and demand. Americans are shopping at the grocery store more than ever thanks to stay-at-home orders.
Additionally, some of our county's largest meat suppliers are dealing with coronavirus spreading inside their facilities and have been forced to close.
If you had plans for a cookout on Memorial Day, be ready to pay up.
One local grocer says hamburger meat prices have jumped.
"Last year, Memorial Day, our hamburger prices were $3.99 a pound. It's gonna be $5.99 a pound this year," he said.
However, there are still ways you can save on groceries during this time.
If you're ordering online, try to do it with a neighbor or friend to split delivery costs or even get it for free.
You can also sign up for store rewards programs and look around online for coupons you can show in store on your phone.
Unfortunately, many grocery stores are not offering weekly specials anymore because demand is so high.
If we have a depression I think we will come out of it with something like social democracy. The country cannot go on with the wealth inequality we have.
CHICAGO, May 13 (Reuters) - The Trump administration, aiming to tighten rules for federal food benefits, has appealed a federal judge's ruling that temporarily enabled hundreds of thousands of people to maintain food stamp benefits during the coronavirus pandemic, according to court documents.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, provides free food to 36 million Americans. During the pandemic, millions of U.S. residents have lost jobs, and thousands have waited in lines at food banks.
Last year, Congress blocked a Trump administration-backed effort to tighten the rules through the Farm Bill. Since then, the administration has tried changing rules at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which administers the program.
Critics said the appeal will hurt poor Americans, noting that last month the U.S. economy lost 20.5 million jobs, the steepest plunge in payrolls since the Great Depression.
"The lines at food banks have never been longer," said U.S. Representative Marcia Fudge, an Ohio Democrat. "And by any reputable account the worst is yet to come."
The USDA announced the rule in December and President Donald Trump said at the time many Americans receiving food stamps do not need them given the strong economy and low unemployment. The rule, set to take effect on April 1, limits each state's ability to waive work mandates, effectively requiring more food stamp recipients to work.
In March, Chief Judge Beryl Howell of the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., granted a preliminary injunction and a stay on part of the rule, noting food needs during the pandemic.
"As a global pandemic poses widespread health risks, guaranteeing that government officials at both the federal and state levels have flexibility to address the nutritional needs of residents and ensure their well-being through programs like SNAP, is essential," Howell wrote in her March 13 opinion.
USDA filed a notice on Tuesday saying it would appeal the order, according to court documents.
In an email to Reuters, USDA said it has been "extremely aggressive" to ensure food needs are met during the pandemic.
"While we’re currently in a very challenging environment, we do not expect this to last forever," the agency said, adding "we must prepare our workforce to rejoin the economy when our nation reopens."
U.S. law generally limits how long adults without disabilities or dependents can receive food stamps, unless they meet work requirements. States can apply for limit waivers due to tough economic conditions. Counties with unemployment rates as low as 2.5% have been included in waived areas. (Additional reporting by Tom Polansek in Chicago; Editing by David Gregorio)
We are soooooooo lucky to have Trump as a leader. I feel like I'm in North Korea. Unless one is the Supreme Leader, everyone else can pretty much fuck off. He went on a rant earlier about how vulnerable the elderly are to the virus...perhaps it's their time? WTF.
MAKE AMERICA TRUMPLESS AGAIN!!
What!!!! JHC do you have a link for that. That is fricking unbelievable.
Not exact words, but certainly implied in a presser from earlier today. Let me find it. Trust me, I wanted to kick his balls all the way to the State of Jefferson.
Check your email in a bit.
ok
I just read where Trump said that the Dems 2nd survival funds were dead on arrival. What the hell does he care. He and his sperms have plenty of money so they don't need to worry about buying food for their family to live. That's what streets are for. Right?!!
That should read Dems 2nd Stimulus funds were dead on arrival.
I hope you are never in dire straits where you lost your ability to work because of an illness or injury.
I'm seeing a side of you these days that I never thought I would ever see.
No, because it's fake.
Then I have to think you have little understanding of North Korea or maybe you're thinking of some other country. If this place was anything like North Korea you'd either be dead or in a prison camp a loooong time ago.
Now, now, we all know those are "reeducation camps". You have to use the correct terminology or the left will lose their collective minds.
Food prices rising? Does not matter. The poor and middle class will carry this burden as they always have. The upper income tiers---they will be just fine.
Yep...food prices are as high, if not higher, than they have been in 50 years. That does not surprise me in the least. I just thought it would have happened weeks ago.
As usual, the poor and middle class with be the ones who will be the hardest hit by the increases of the staples families will need, and those needs will either be rationed or out of stock. Again. Except on line.
I found a good many things I needed on line that were out of stock in most of the stores, and unknown when, or if, they would be in stock.
And that must be why Trump wants to nix the 2nd stimulus funds, so that the poor and middle class and their families will have a harder time trying to survive the virus.
Yeah....Trump is all heart. Just for his big donors and rich cronies.
What he and his rich cronies forget is that the middle and lower classes are the ones who work their factories, serve their food, care for them when they are sick, etc
Basically the backbone of America. When he and the rich elite have manged to starve and kill the middle and lower classes, they will be the ones that will suffer. Is it possible that these people know nothing of the French or Russian revolutions?
What would be his reason for wanting that?
Oh, for goodness sakes! What kind of world do you live in, anyway? One were there are no rich people? There will always be the rich and the poor. Get used to it already.
The vast majority of the poor in this country live better than most of the people on the planet. Why do we all have to aspire to the lifestyle of the rich and famous? The biggest problem with us Americans is that we are sold the lie that we have to have whatever we desire. Nope.
Because Trump despises those people. Never in a million years would he allow any of them on his property. He wants their votes. Trump's 'cootie syndrome' is real.
I just want to know why they have a full selection of one pound packages of hamburger, stacked right up, and none of the family size packages?? and a sign right next to them says "Take only two)... I thouight I wasn't supposed to be grocery shopping often?
It gives people a taste of what it would be like if Bernie was president. No longer can you have what you want only what the central planners will allow one to have.
Keep Trump in office and you won't have a truck or bread.
Put Biden in Office, and someone else will have to run the country. Joe needs …… "Handlers/Aides" to function.
Right on cue.... The main Trump-Fuffers of NewsTalkers all sound off.
Ignore that Trump could give a shit if any of you live or die, as long as you keep supporting him to be king. By all means, keep supporting the Narcissist-in-Chief that drags you and the rest of the country on a non-science based trek that even your minimal exposure to high school biology and statistical math tells you is wrong.
Deny science on your own.... but leave the rest of us to put the country back together. Maybe you can help with the body bags.
How many "Trillions of dollars of "Relief" did he approve ?
What an ASS he is....huh !
Fuffers? Did you mean Fluffers? Not that I care, I find it funny.
What the trmp fuffers/fluffers don't realize is that once they've kicked the bucket from The Rona or starved to death because they don't have a wheelbarrow of Franklins to take to the store for a loaf of bread, trmp and his buddies will look down from their Ivory Towers and wonder who is going to serve them their McDonalds, KFC, and Diet Cokes. He may start to care when he doesn't have a servant anymore. Then they will start to eat each other
funny how you get your panties in a wad whenever a liberal calls a conservative woman a whore, tramp, slut, or skank
somewhere in all that word salad mess is the answer to the question I asked
but you know what....nevermind
OK...the statement I made! Better?
Will you admit that you have a problem with liberals calling conservative women skanks?
And all that congressional passed funding will be wasted unless we start following the best scientific and economic minds of the times to get us through this pandemic.
Leave the politics behind, and follow the science. Can you do that for once in your life?
I guess not
They've Contradicted themselves and given us Doomsday Predictions throughout the entire process.
Did you Know that Dr. Fauci told us that we had nothing to worry about in January, a few times ?
Did you know the "Experts" told us wearing a mask did nothing, then went on to tell us, "Just wear one" ?
Did you know that there is a "Whistle Blower" out their saying he was fired for saying the same thing the "Experts" on the Trump Team have been saying since day one, then wones about it in front of congress?
Did you know people can have disagreements on what to do about this ?
Did you know that we should have been prepared for the "Unknown", by having a vaccine ready and waiting for this day ?
Did you know that we didn't need as many Respirators as the "Experts" said was needed to fight this pandemic ?
Did you know that "Medial Care" wasn't as Overwhelmed as we were told they would be ?
Did you know that the "Experts" still don't have the "Best" answer to this virus ?
Did you know that the "Experts" are lumping the entire country into a "Hot Spot", even when most parts of the country aren't ?
Did you know that folks are going Broke, while the "Experts" are still getting paid trying to figure out "What to Do", yet telling us not to come out of our bomb shelters until they do ?
Did you know …….. ?
How are you going to prepare a vaccine for an unknown infectious agent?
If you have an answer to that, your King wants an audience with you, ASAP
Exactly !
Or anything else we coulda got together and horded for an unknown too.....right ?
But the Trump administration shoulda been ready back in January (Media bitches to us so).
The "Experts" also told us.....Not to Worry ?
How about you post sources from Reuters or the BBC to back up all of your Fox noise statements....
Otherwise you're just pushing more of the same non-science based drivel.
You don't know ?
It's been in/on every Media Venue available.
Do you always have "FOX" on your mind ?
NOBODY SAID THAT!
What everyone wanted was for trmp to take this thing seriously. I personally thought banning all travel from China was a good start. Problem is, he didn't really ban people, they still came into this country. He should have put a halt on ALL travel outside of our borders. Nobody coming in and if you go out, you're not coming back for awhile.
Of course I don't like the politicians that are lying to us. Follow them if you like, just don't expect the rest of us to put our lives on the lines for those well documented liars that refuse to follow the data based science.
Which Part ?
THIS:
Or THIS:
Then THIS:
I've got bunches more....but you get the gist on TRUTH.....I Hope ! !
"I personally thought banning all travel from China was a good start."
Me too....but not strong enough about everywhere else coming in.
The Democrat running for President thoughts about it :
Biden tweeted: “We are in the midst of a crisis with the coronavirus. We need to lead the way with science — not Donald Trump’s record of hysteria, xenophobia, and fear-mongering.....
Biden March 12 press conference : "The United States should not be overly dismissive of the outbreak, “but neither should we panic or fall back on xenophobia, labeling COVID-19 a foreign virus does not displace accountability for the misjudgments that have been taken thus far by the Trump administration.”
It's a good thing Joe wasn't president. He might be sipping wine in China telling them they have a "Beautiful Agreement with each other" !
Everything you just posted has nothing to do with the conversation (and I use that term loosely) we were having.
I have decided you are nothing but a troll and I am not conversing with you any more. You are on ignore and if you continue to try and engage me I will ask for a no contact order from Perrie
Really? So the comforts of a few Americans are more important than the lives of thousands more?
So, yeah, I'm fucking serious. Tough times call for tough measures.
Surely it does. Read ALL the comments I responded to.
"I have decided you are nothing but a troll"
AGAIN ?
"You are on ignore"
AGAIN ?
"if you continue to try and engage me I will ask for a no contact order from Perrie"
AGAIN ?
What's the recourse if YOU engage me (Which I love by the way )? Are you going to tell on yourself ? ?
[deleted]
Were those people sick with COVID?
Stop with the communist innuendo, it's not appreciated. Aren't you one of the ones that wants the country re-opened so we can get all get back to work? Who's talking like the Collective now? How many will perish if the Collective gets their wish?
TROLL IGNORE at that !
That really Hurts !
Simply hysterical. [deleted]
Doesn't matter TG. In the warped world of some donald is always right and everyone else is at fault.
How they can stand to stare at the naked emperor is beyond me.
In Feb, which is when that article is from, the WHO was still not forthcoming with information. The CDC was operating on what the WHO was saying, and using past pathogens like the flu.
So the WHO and CDC had it wrong?
Please let the but Trruuummmmppppp!!!!!!! brigade know.
We're leaving it to the trained professional to come up with a vaccine, not Trump.
Good to know but you might want to read the entire exchange before you comment
If it's the rich who vote Republican, and the poor who vote Democrat, then I guess starving the poor to death is another method that Trump thought up to get reelected - just blaming China to deflect from his mismanagement wasn't enough. O'Donnell needs to add an addendum to his Republican playbook.
It's not Trump that is preventing these people from earning a living and being able to buy food. He's trying to get them back to work.
Actually, if Governors followed Trump's guidelines, NO state would be reopened.
But even trmp isn't paying attention to his own guidelines
"Grocery prices reach 50-year high amid pandemic "
Go to the fields where everything is getting dumped now. Bet you'll get a discount !
Farmers are destroying food because they can't sell it. And people are waiting hours in line to obtain food.
Capitalism is supposed to provide an efficient means for supplying demand. There is plenty of demand. There is plenty of production. Yet, the needs of both consumers and producers are not being met. How can the United States economy be capitalist when both consumers and producers suffer?
The statistic published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics doesn't provide useful information about capitalism. The BLS data doesn't provide any hint of the problems being experienced by both consumers and producers. The BLS publishes financial numbers which provides benefit to financial profiteers.
The only rational conclusion that can be drawn from the fact that farmers are destroying crops while people go hungry is that the financial sector has killed capitalism. Banks aren't consumers and banks aren't producers. Wall Street is neither a consumer or a producer. Yet our Federal policy has been to protect banks and Wall Street. Consumers and producers aren't being protected by Federal policy.
It has become self evident that the United States is no longer a capitalist economy. The flaws with our current economic model have become insurmountable obstacles. So, we can either choose to revitalize capitalism or we can choose another means of supplying demand, like socialism. We cannot continue as we are; something has to change.
Well that's typical of the people running the government-- The Democrats!
As a shopper. I can verify that groceries aren't all that much more expensive now than a few months ago.
As another shopper, I can verify that they are higher.
My experience is that there is a significant difference. Prices are significantly higher!
My butcher practically cried when I asked him about the $5.99 lb. price tag on ground chuck. I buy in bulk and usually pay about $3 lb.. They are a family owned and operated butcher/grocer who have been in this community for 3 generations. I took the hit because I know he is giving me the best price he can and his meat is the best quality in town.