From Farm to Fork: Covering the Rising Price of Food

By Josh Mills

Like energy prices, food prices have been soaring, but just why, where and how is sometimes hard to explain, a panel of experts said in a SABEW conference call on May 29.

Among the story ideas and wisdom that were offered to the more than 70 SABEW members who listened in:

• “Beer prices are increasing rapidly;”
• “The rise in food prices might actually provide health benefits for the United States;”
• “One hundred fifty years of history has been thrown out the window; livestock used to be the backbone of food prices, but now it’s fuel prices.”
• "The problem is not just surging demand for commodities, or speculation, but reduced supplies. Australia, for examples, has cut its wheat exports radically as its production has halved in the last two years."

The panel discussion, "My Groceries Cost How Much?" featured:

Simon Constable, a commodities reporter for TheStreet.com; Joyzelle Davis of The Rocky Mountain News, who covers retail and the restaurant industry; Profs. Darrel Good and Scott H. Irwin of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and Christopher Leonard, who covers agribusiness and rural economic affairs for The Associated Press.

Karen Robinson-Jacobs, who covers a farm-to-fork beat for The Dallas Morning News, moderated the discussion.

To hear the full audio file of the call, click here.

Posted May 29, 2008