You may have done a double take upon reading in the Times Free Press about some big jumps in food prices.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says grocery prices rose more than 14 percent between February 2006 and February 2011. That was during a time when overall inflation rose only 11 percent. The biggest increases were an eye-popping 21 percent for cereals and baked goods, and 17 percent for meat, poultry, fish and eggs.
Unfortunately, the price increases are not abating. In February, the United States had the biggest monthly jump in food costs since late 2008. As a frustrated shopper told the Times Free Press, “I find ways to buy groceries with the money I have one month, and, by the next month, it isn’t enough.”
Many unpredictable factors affect food prices, including things such as global demand and whether farmers have high or low yields.
But there is no reason why Washington should continue policies that needlessly increase food costs.