Midwest drought will force Arizona food prices to rise
Jul 19, 2012, 7:19 AM | Updated: 7:20 am
PHOENIX —
With no relief in sight for the drought in the Midwest, economists are expecting food prices to go up as crops are dying and feeding cattle will cost more.
In Arizona, the drought hasn’t affected crops much, but Kelly Young with the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension Office said dairy products might become more costly.
“The bigger concern is for the dairy people, the cattle people that use feed that’s produced in the Midwest,” she said. “The drought is driving up the prices of the feed, which is going to drive up the prices of milk.”
With the drought threatening crops in the Midwest, food prices everywhere could begin to rise.
“The price of corn is really, really important in the food chain and how far our dollar goes,” she said.
Drought conditions are believed to be the worst in 25 years.
