Pork and chicken prices set to go up

[Newsjock]

Source: Associated Press

Americans may be getting another helping of food inflation, and it seems likely to come from higher prices for chicken and pork.

... The biggest driver to prices is grain costs, which have been affected by the rise in ethanol production and strong export demand because of the weak dollar. Corn costs have more than doubled over the past two years from $2.50 a bushel to $6. That has added $6 billion to chicken farmers' annual feed bills, according to the National Chicken Council, a trade group.

As a result, companies are slaughtering animals to tighten supply. The move will temporarily increase supply, lowering prices, but as farms herds and flocks get smaller, it will raise prices.

Fieldale Farms Corp., a privately held chicken producer, is cutting production by 5 percent starting in the middle of the month. Tom Hinsley, senior vice president, said he expects higher chicken prices by midsummer.

... The government is giving pork producers a hand by taking some pork off the market. Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer last week announced a government plan to buy up to $50 million of pork for child nutrition and domestic food assistance programs -- at the urging of the National Pork Producers Council.

Read more: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/361882_foodinflation06.html

[LeftyMom]

1. Let's feed poor people and school kids more fatty crap.

The great part is, if they're poor enough for food aid, we'll get to pick up the tab for their cholesterol medication, and when they get old we might be on the hook for their chemo.

Poor people and school kids' greatest dietary need is reliable access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Too bad there's political influence from the strawberry lobby or the plum growers council. :(

[Duke Newcombe]

2. Good point, LeftyMom. n/t

Duke

[saigon68]

7. Yes Let's Bulk UP on Saturated Fat

ARMOUR
LARD
(Manteca)





Yummy-- A few of these Kids will have "LARD ASSES"




VIVA Refined Lard / Manteca Refinada De Cerdo




Packaging: 4 lbs Tub
Item Number: O0009
Price: $5.90


Lard is the rendered fat of a pig, and it can be used in cooking and baking. Historically, lard has been a popular cooking ingredient, although it acquired a stigma in parts of the West in the twentieth century. In some countries, lard can be difficult to obtain, because consumers perceive it as being more unhealthy than butter or vegetable shortening.

In stores, it can sometimes be found in the Hispanic ingredients section, labeled Manteca, the Spanish word for lard. Be careful, however, as some Latin American Spanish speakers use manteca to refer to butter, or a butter and fat mixture. Lard can also be made at home, an increasingly popular option for consumers who want fresh lard.

There are several grades of lard. The finest is leaf lard, which comes from the area around the kidneys of the pig. Back lard is another high grade, while rendered fat from other parts of the pig is less desirable. To make lard, either a wet or dry rendering process is used. Wet lard is made by steaming or boiling fat. Since the fat is not water soluble, it will float to the top, and the cook can simply skim it off. Dry rendering uses a large pan and no water to heat the fat, allowing the cook to skim impurities away.

[jmowreader]

8. I use lard, and I'm not a lardass

Lard's better for you than hydrogenated vegetable oils. As for the cholesterol...there's cholesterol in lard, yes, but your body will absorb from the lard only the cholesterol it needs. You know how shit floats in the toilet? What makes shit float is fat--and in the fat making the shit float is all the excess cholesterol in the food that made up the shit.

So eat lard and have nice floaty shit.

[Megahurtz]

9. You may be right about the lard

but your shit is not supposed to float! It's not healthy!:think:

[saigon68]

11. The South will rise again

Because SHIT Floats

[uppityperson]

12. Methane in it can make it float, like after eating veggiees.

It can be perfectly healthy. Or can be a sign of dis-ease.

http://www.poopreport.com/Doctor/Content/float.html
Actually, it is gas that does it. Increased levels of air and gas in the poop make it less dense, and cause it to float. Simple as that. Dietary changes can lead to an increase in the amount of gas produced by the bacteria that live in the gut, which is probably what the vegetarians are basing their whole "perfect stool" theory on. I don't know -- the whole time I was vegan I never consistently produced Floaters.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

20. hey ----

mind if I use that last sentence in my sigline?

Looks something like this:

[uppityperson]

13. What is the problem with chicken? Is it fatty crap?

Chicken costing more will feed poor people and school kids more fatty crap? Huh?

[Speck Tater]

3. Time to set aside some space in the back yard

to raise chickens and Guinea pigs. (Technically, Guinea pigs raised for meat are usually referred to as "Cuy".)

[ruby slippers]

4. gee, it is still on sale buy one get one at my grocery store tomorrow so

guess I better go buy some, huh? Great savings.

[lonestarnot]

5. San don donia, boogie man in a boat.

[KurtNYC]

6. when the government buys that pork they should put it in a barrel

then it will literally be "pork barrel" spending.

[Gormy Cuss]

16. *snicker* n/t

[roamer65]

10. Made with love...and LARD.

Hehe.

[Snarkturian Clone]

14. Hey, I thought I was the only one who remembered that

Married with Children episode.

Buddy Buddy Buddy Burgers made with love.... AND LARD!!!

[noonwitch]

15. Chicken prices have risen a great deal over the last few years

I used to buy amish chicken, but now buy the Meijer brand, or Tyson's, if it's on sale.

[shanti]

17. chicken

used to be one of the last "inexpensive" meats out there....no more:(

[Phoonzang]

18. OMG let's panic!

It's the end of the world! /snark

[tkmorris]

21. You see anyone panicking?

Pick a new target friend.

[Occulus]

23. After all, chicken's only gonna go up a buck-buck-buck-bagock.

BaDum Tsssss!

:D

[rcsl1998]

19. .

[Olddoggy]

22. Oh boy

As if gas prices weren't enough! I'm moving to Canada.

[sudopod]

24. Since I couldn't work out as much on account of finals

I thought I'd experiment with vegetarianism for a few week or two to make up the difference.

I've only cheated once since last Tuesday. :D

[minnesota_liberal]

25. By reporting this, you just prove...

that you hate our country.

Gosh, I'll bet you're not even wearing a flag pin!

:sarcasm: