Direct quotes and links from today’s NPR article on factors raising food prices, by Joe Hernandez.
- Recent droughts have devastated U.S. cattle herds, which can take years to recover. https://www.npr.org/2022/09/01/1120080654/drought-climate-change-ranchers-cattle-beef-steaks-inflation-food-prices
- The number of U.S. cattle farms have been shrinking, according tot he most recent Census of Agriculture.
- That has led to the smallest U.S. cattle herd in 75 years. https://www.npr.org/2026/05/29/nx-s1-5719511/beef-cattle-herd-food-prices
- The seesawing price of eggs has largely come down to avian flu.
- Large outbreaks force farms to cull their flocks to prevent the spread of the disease…That’s what happened in 2022 and again in 2024.
- The Trump administration’s tariffs on foreign goods have also raised the cost of packaging materials, such as cardboard, that are used in egg cartons.
- The Trump administration’s tariffs on countries like Brazil were particularly bitter for U.S. coffee drinkers.
- Severe weather and climate change are jolting harvests.
- Both drought and heavy rainfall in coffee-producing countries have ground down coffee bean yields. And excessive moisture on coffee farms can cause mold growth and disease. https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/rains-disrupt-brazil-coffee-harvest-raising-disease-risk-2026-06-15/
- U.S. butter production is booming, in part because dairy farms grew their herds and increased milk supply to produce more milk proteins for popular foods like Greek yogurt and cottage cheese. https://www.dairyherd.com/news/protein-economy-how-one-nutrient-reshaping-dairy-farm-shelf
- The war in Ukraine ran up the cost of flour.
- Coca prices have hit multiple all-time highs in recent years. https://www.npr.org/2025/10/24/nx-s1-5582259/halloween-candy-prices-chocolate-cacao
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