AP economics reporter Martin Crutsinger reports this morning: 
"Over the past 12 months, the Produce Price Index, which measures inflation pressures before they reach the consumer, has risen by 6.9 percent, the biggest 12-month change since a rise of 7 percent in the 12 months ending in November 1990.
For September, energy prices jumped by 7.1 percent, the biggest one-month gain since a 7.5 percent rise in October 1990. The increase reflected a 12.7 percent rise in the price of gasoline, a 9 percent increase in natural gas and a 4.8 percent increase in home heating oil.
The price of food shot up 1.4 percent last month, reflecting a record 49.3 percent increase in egg prices. Vegetable prices rose by 16 percent, reflecting big increases for snap beans, tomatoes, cabbage, potatoes and broccoli. "
Since The FOOD Museum's motto is the line from M.F.K. Fisher, " First we eat, then we do everything else," clearly "the everything else" in the US economy is about to suffer, except perhaps for those Americans lucky enough or clever enough to be able to buy fresh food locally, or raise their own.
Just back from a quick spin in Central Florida to report that orange groves there are fast disappearing, as development is more profitable. ( Duh..) But what happens when we have no more land on which to grow food, and imports break the bank?
And, Kathy F, I have some chiles for you from Chimayo--will send, I swear!
p.s. When we were in Britain last winter, the best buy for hungry travelers was quiche...even at Harrod's.
Posted by: Foodie | October 26, 2005 at 08:09 PM
No kidding about prices in the UK. I get over to England about every other year, and I've been amazed at how it has gone from being a reasonably priced getaway to as costly as New York. (Though I'd still rather be in England than NY.)
Posted by: Cynthia | October 26, 2005 at 06:29 PM
Sorry, that was cryptic. I meant I live in the UK, where prices are higher for pretty much everything. (Right now the exchange rate is killing those of us who get paid in dollars.) I just got a suitcase full of American groceries from my husband, who just returned from a visit to New Mexico though. Land of cheap chiles!
Posted by: KathyF | October 26, 2005 at 02:56 PM
Can you expand on that, Kathy? Do you mean just that you share my opinion, or that this is your area of work/passion/concerted effort, or that your farm just got plowed under? Just curious to know how close to the battle you are.
Posted by: Cynthia | October 25, 2005 at 02:15 PM
Ha! Welcome to my world.
Posted by: KathyF | October 24, 2005 at 12:14 PM
I don't think this will come as any surprise to those of us who have been saying for some years now that building housing developments on top of old, local farms and buying everything from South America was probably short-sighted.
Posted by: Cynthia | October 20, 2005 at 09:27 AM