Fruit & Vegetable Prices?

[digitS']

Rising Produce Prices

I think this little story may just be the tip of the iceberg.

We can probably expect some real serious "pressure" on food prices in the near future because of rising fuel costs. But, fresh produce will take a big hit, I'd imagine, with the Florida freezes and the California flooding.

Steve
edited to change thread title . . . never make it in the newspaper business .

 

[seedcorn]

Another option for them is to buy from Mexican producers until the U.S. growers can recover.

thanks for the article. This quote makes me FURIOUS. American farmer through no fault of his, is in trouble. Since he will have much less to sell, he needs higher prices to cash flow. Our solution, buy his competitor's products where there are no child labor laws, no OSHA, no environmental laws, etc...............

Now people see just a small problem American ag faces every day. So do you allow the farmer to go broke, not pay his bills, watch banks go broke that lent him money or government bail out? Supply/Demand doesn't work in Ag because government won't allow it to. Gotta have cheap food... End of rant.

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

Last week we had to drive down to the property in Southern California because we got a call that our orchard was under 3 feet of water...the county hadn't kept up the drain canal that runs behind us and it stopped up and flooded.

That being said, on the drive down we noticed a lot (A LOT) of the tomato fields, strawberry fields, and cole crops under water as well. Really sad to see. I know the Lt. Gov. was trying to get the Fed to declare a state of emergency which would help some farmers financially but not sure where that is.

 

[digitS']

I am curious to know if the Imperial and Coachella Valleys flooded.

And, on into the Mexican growing areas . . . did they have problems with all the rain, also?

Steve

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

I am curious to know if the Imperial and Coachella Valleys flooded.

And, on into the Mexican growing areas . . . did they have problems with all the rain, also?

Steve

I don't think flooding has been much of a concern in Coachella and Imperial. Our property in Southern Cal is in western Riverside County about an hour west of Coachella.

There is a big frost warning/advisory though for the entire 4 county area (San Bernardino, Riverside, Imperial, and San Diego). Last night it dropped to 22 degrees in our part of Riverside County.

The bigger problem for Coachella and Imperial is the Bagrada Bug Bagrada hilaris or painted harlequin bug. It's been moving fast up from Mexico. It was brought over from the middle east and has been causing havoc.

 

[seedcorn]

Assume bug brought by accident? Don't need it in USA as if it is out of control in Mexico w/pesticides we can't use, hate to think what it will do to us.

Didn't realize there were so many problems elsewhere.

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

Assume bug brought by accident? Don't need it in USA as if it is out of control in Mexico w/pesticides we can't use, hate to think what it will do to us.

Didn't realize there were so many problems elsewhere.

Yes, it was by accident. Right now it's as far north as Kern County, which is halfway up the state. It's been in the US for the past 2 seasons from what I understand. Who knows what "great" idea folks will come up with to deal with it.

 

[Collector]

Another option for them is to buy from Mexican producers until the U.S. growers can recover.

thanks for the article. This quote makes me FURIOUS. American farmer through no fault of his, is in trouble. Since he will have much less to sell, he needs higher prices to cash flow. Our solution, buy his competitor's products where there are no child labor laws, no OSHA, no environmental laws, etc...............

Now people see just a small problem American ag faces every day. So do you allow the farmer to go broke, not pay his bills, watch banks go broke that lent him money or government bail out? Supply/Demand doesn't work in Ag because government won't allow it to. Gotta have cheap food... End of rant.

What I dont understand is how they have all these regulations on how our lands are farmed.
But do not require the imported foods to be produced to our standards. They pass laws to enrich farmers in other countries, while are farmers are losing their farms. There is something wrong with this picture.

 

[hoodat]

Assume bug brought by accident? Don't need it in USA as if it is out of control in Mexico w/pesticides we can't use, hate to think what it will do to us.

Didn't realize there were so many problems elsewhere.

Yes, it was by accident. Right now it's as far north as Kern County, which is halfway up the state. It's been in the US for the past 2 seasons from what I understand. Who knows what "great" idea folks will come up with to deal with it.

I've been watching that critter in my own garden. I think it's going to be a bigger problem than they think. They are presuming it will limit itself to cole crops. It started on my mustard but then went on to get into clover and my chayote vines. I think it can attack more crops than they realize. They'd better get busy finding and importing a natural predator. Our native ones don't seem to go after it.

 

[seedcorn]

Assume bug brought by accident? Don't need it in USA as if it is out of control in Mexico w/pesticides we can't use, hate to think what it will do to us.

Didn't realize there were so many problems elsewhere.

Yes, it was by accident. Right now it's as far north as Kern County, which is halfway up the state. It's been in the US for the past 2 seasons from what I understand. Who knows what "great" idea folks will come up with to deal with it.

I've been watching that critter in my own garden. I think it's going to be a bigger problem than they think. They are presuming it will limit itself to cole crops. It started on my mustard but then went on to get into clover and my chayote vines. I think it can attack more crops than they realize. They'd better get busy finding and importing a natural predator. Our native ones don't seem to go after it.

terrible news........Not sure I want any genius importing a predator as that's how we got the asian beetle, starling, etc.........now fight the pests plus the predators. Instead of one problem, man made 2 problems. Let's just exterminate them.