{"id":10950,"date":"2022-10-20T05:31:57","date_gmt":"2022-10-20T09:31:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.routineproceedings.com\/?p=10950"},"modified":"2022-10-20T01:29:11","modified_gmt":"2022-10-20T05:29:11","slug":"roundup-the-drivers-of-food-price-inflation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.routineproceedings.com\/2022\/10\/20\/roundup-the-drivers-of-food-price-inflation\/","title":{"rendered":"Roundup: The drivers of food price inflation"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The September <a href=\"https:\/\/www150.statcan.gc.ca\/n1\/daily-quotidien\/221019\/dq221019a-eng.htm?HPA=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">inflation numbers<\/a> were released yesterday morning, and they are still cooling, but not quite by as much as anticipated, in part because food price inflation continues to stay high. While the temptation to conclude that this is entirely the fault of the grocery oligopoly engaged in price gouging, and boy howdy are the NDP trying to make this a Thing, we know from the economic data that it\u2019s not actually the case. And it doesn\u2019t take too much digging to know what some of the drivers of this food price inflation really are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>For cereal and bakery products, that\u2019s because the drought on the Prairies destroyed 40 percent of crop yields last year<\/li>\n<li>The blight known as \u201ccoffee rust\u201d is affecting those crops, and is in large part because of monoculture<\/li>\n<li>Drought has also taken out things like the chilis necessary for things like sriracha sauce, or the mustard crops used in condiments<\/li>\n<li>Fresh fruit and vegetables are, again, susceptible to droughts in places like California, or the hurricanes that struck Florida<\/li>\n<li>Fish and seafood are facing collapsing stocks, which again, drives up prices, and some harvesting seasons have been impacted by hurricanes<\/li>\n<li>Dairy and meat has seen higher input costs (again, drought taking out feed crops) and avian flu ravaging poultry flocks is also driving up prices<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>As you can see, climate change is a big driver for most of these. Our food production is very vulnerable to it, and that is causing a lot of these price increases, and we need to be aware of that and stop couching it euphemisms about \u201cinclement weather\u201d or the like.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Couple of charts from this morning\u2019s CPI release, first on the drivers of inflation, month-over-month, and year-over-year.<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/6aT6sZsPJr\">https:\/\/t.co\/6aT6sZsPJr<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ipfdubNU8T\">pic.twitter.com\/ipfdubNU8T<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Dale Smith (@journo_dale) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/journo_dale\/status\/1582727610005884928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 19, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Climate change and monoculture crops are having a big impact on food production and prices. As much as people like to blame the grocery oligopoly, there are serious pressures facing food production globally, and that is costing us.<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Dale Smith (@journo_dale) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/journo_dale\/status\/1582729177362534400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 19, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">&quot;shows no sign of cooling&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Inflation is down for a fourth month in a row. Still high, at 6.9 per cent, but it was that&#39;s not just a sign of cooling, that&#39;s actual cooling. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/XNbOeG6SLO\">https:\/\/t.co\/XNbOeG6SLO<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; David Reevely (@davidreevely) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/davidreevely\/status\/1582757810428731392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 19, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Chrystia Freeland has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thestar.com\/politics\/federal\/2022\/10\/19\/chrystia-freeland-warns-cabinet-ministers-new-programs-must-be-funded-by-budget-cuts.html\">told her Cabinet colleagues<\/a> that they need to keep their spending priorities in check, and if they want higher spending, they need to be prepared to find savings in their departments to pay for them. While we have seen that the government\u2019s fiscal stance is already pretty tight, Freeland needs to manage expectations right now\u2014if we do go into a recession, the government can\u2019t keep up the same supports they did during the pandemic, and broad spending programmes could wind up fuelling inflation and undoing the work the Bank of Canada is doing to tame it. It\u2019s unlikely to really blunt any of the attacks from the opposition, and Poilievre in particular because he\u2019ll just make up more nonsense that sounds like economics but is just bullshit, and certain people will spoon it up and legacy media will both-sides it, but regardless, Freeland looks to be steering the Liberals back on a course toward the brand of fiscal prudence and away from trying to capture more of the left, but perhaps that\u2019s because they have put a mark in that territory with things like childcare and know that there are voters at the centre that the Conservatives are abandoning that they would rather pick up instead. Either way, it\u2019s an interesting move.<\/p>\n<p>Ukraine Dispatch, Day 238:<\/p>\n<p>As Russians continue to bomb power stations around the country, Ukrainians are facing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thestar.com\/news\/world\/europe\/2022\/10\/19\/ukraine-faces-rolling-blackouts-after-russian-attacks-on-power-stations.html\">rolling blackouts<\/a>. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/politics\/zelenskyy-ukraine-russia-iran-drones-1.6621813\">called out<\/a> the Iranians for accepting \u201cblood money\u201d for these drone. \u00a0Meanwhile, Putin has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thestar.com\/news\/world\/europe\/2022\/10\/19\/putin-declares-martial-law-in-annexed-regions-of-ukraine.html\">declared martial law<\/a> in the four occupied territories in Ukraine, giving his Russian regional governors emergency powers to enact new restrictions.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Following the major long-range strike salvo launched by Russia beginning on October 10, Moscow claimed that there was no need for more \u201cmassive strikes\u201d against Ukraine, and it denied using Iranian-sourced UAVs in its attacks.<\/p>\n<p>Based on our analysis:<br \/>2\/6<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Canadian Armed Forces (@CanadianForces) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CanadianForces\/status\/1582822226940006401?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 19, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">&#8211; There is clear evidence from both video and recovered debris that Russia is employing one-way-attack UAVs purchased from Iran. 4\/6<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Canadian Armed Forces (@CanadianForces) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CanadianForces\/status\/1582822230270304257?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 19, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Read more on countering disinformation with facts &#8211; Russian invasion of Ukraine: <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Gv5ZWiRoc8\">https:\/\/t.co\/Gv5ZWiRoc8<\/a> 6\/6<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Canadian Armed Forces (@CanadianForces) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CanadianForces\/status\/1582822233529290754?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 19, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><!--more-->Good reads:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Justin Trudeau told a Climate Institute conference that Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine helped to <a href=\"https:\/\/nationalpost.com\/news\/canada\/trudeau-says-russian-invasion-of-ukraine-accelerated-canadas-move-away-from-oil-and-gas\">accelerate<\/a> Canada\u2019s move away from oil and gas.<\/li>\n<li>As both an election promise and part of their deal with the NDP, the government will start <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thestar.com\/politics\/federal\/2022\/10\/19\/ottawa-launches-consultations-for-anti-scab-legislation.html\">consulting<\/a> on \u201canti-scab\u201d legislation that previous parliaments rebuffed.<\/li>\n<li>The additional GST rebate bill <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalnewswatch.com\/2022\/10\/19\/liberal-gst-rebate-bill-passes-as-government-pushes-cost-of-living-measures\/\">got royal assent<\/a> on Tuesday, and the government has needed to impose closure in order to pass the bill on the dental and rental supports.<\/li>\n<li>Members of the Arctic Council want to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalnewswatch.com\/2022\/10\/19\/arctic-peers-warn-no-return-to-prewar-times-as-russia-frozen-from-circumpolar-talks\/\">ensure<\/a> that a new cold war doesn\u2019t develop in the region, particularly now that Sweden and Finland are joining NATO.<\/li>\n<li>The <em>Emergencies Act<\/em> inquiry heard from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalnewswatch.com\/2022\/10\/19\/police-chief-said-freedom-convoy-would-end-by-first-monday-ex-police-board-chair-2\/\">former head<\/a> of the Ottawa Police board (complete with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/canada\/ottawa\/deans-watson-phone-call-new-police-chief-1.6622152\">secret recording<\/a>), and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thestar.com\/politics\/federal\/2022\/10\/19\/opp-intelligence-says-convoy-protests-presented-no-credible-threat-of-extremist-violence.html'\">intelligence chief for the OPP<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Pierre Poilievre is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalnewswatch.com\/2022\/10\/19\/conservative-leader-pierre-poilievre-to-skip-parliamentary-press-gallery-dinner-2\/\">going to skip<\/a> the Press Gallery Dinner this weekend, either because he\u2019s being petulant with the media, or can\u2019t make fun of himself.<\/li>\n<li>Several Conservative MPs are \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/politics\/doug-ford-justin-trudeau-emergencies-act-convoy-poilievre-1.6620869\">pissed off<\/a>\u201d by Doug Ford\u2019s comments saying he\u2019s \u201cshoulder-to-shoulder\u201d with the prime minister on the use of the <em>Emergencies Act<\/em>.<\/li>\n<li>A second Quebec party wants to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalnewswatch.com\/2022\/10\/19\/quebec-opposition-party-swears-allegiance-to-quebec-people-but-not-to-king-2\/\">avoid<\/a> swearing an oath to the King, but that\u2019s entrenched in the federal constitution so good luck with that.<\/li>\n<li>Jason Markusoff <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/canada\/calgary\/notley-alberta-ndp-convention-danielle-smith-1.6621886\">explains<\/a> why the next Alberta election won\u2019t be a slam-dunk for Rachel Notley, because it will largely be about battleground Calgary.<\/li>\n<li>Heather Scoffield <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thestar.com\/politics\/political-opinion\/2022\/10\/19\/has-inflation-fighting-in-the-us-helped-it-leapfrog-canada-in-emissions-reductions.html\">makes the case<\/a> that the government should take a page from the Americans and go big on emissions reductions with a household strategy.<\/li>\n<li>Paul Wells <a href=\"https:\/\/paulwells.substack.com\/p\/that-selfish-a-fashion\">gives his take<\/a> on mayor Jim Watson\u2019s testimony at the public inquiry.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Odds and ends:<\/p>\n<p>For <em>Xtra<\/em>, I <a href=\"https:\/\/xtramagazine.com\/power\/jonathan-pedneault-green-party-237822\">sat down with<\/a> Elizabeth May\u2019s running mate, Jonathan Pedneault.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Committee vs. Inquiry Processes\" width=\"584\" height=\"329\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/tjnB6kWuYSA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>Want more Routine Proceedings?\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.patreon.com\/journo_dale\">Become a patron<\/a>\u00a0and get exclusive new content. <\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The September inflation numbers were released yesterday morning, and they are still cooling, but not quite by as much as anticipated, in part because food price inflation continues to stay high. While the temptation to conclude that this is entirely &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.routineproceedings.com\/2022\/10\/20\/roundup-the-drivers-of-food-price-inflation\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[41],"tags":[126,355,632,32,631,27,317,640,359],"class_list":["post-10950","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-roundup","tag-arctic","tag-chrystia-freeland","tag-emergencies-act","tag-environment","tag-inflation","tag-labour","tag-pierre-poilievre","tag-the-king","tag-ukraine"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2jJFQ-2QC","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.routineproceedings.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10950"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.routineproceedings.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.routineproceedings.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.routineproceedings.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.routineproceedings.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10950"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.routineproceedings.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10950\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10951,"href":"https:\/\/www.routineproceedings.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10950\/revisions\/10951"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.routineproceedings.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10950"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.routineproceedings.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10950"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.routineproceedings.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10950"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}