Earlier weather events, along with flooding in the Mississippi basin has devastated corn crops. Cost of corn has sky rocketed, which drives up many more food prices.

For example, ever notice how many products contain corn syrup? Guess what is happening to the cost of livestock feed? Beef, dairy, pork, chicken - Allen Family Foods, a major chicken producer (brand name Seaford Chicken), filed for bankruptcy in June, mostly because of the price of corn.

Think about what fuel prices add to the production and distribution of food. One good thing, I suppose - for years I bought exclusively organic food - anything I didn't raise myself. As times got tougher I could no longer afford to do so. Now, locally grown organic produce, fruits and meat are not that much more expensive than what is available, inorganic and shipped from California, Florida or South America, in my local grocery store. With the price gap narrowed so much, I am back to shopping my local co-op and farmer's market more frequently.