There are many factors to the increase of wheat prices in America. Here are just a few:
· We are now importing wheat – whereas we used to be wheat exporters.
· We have paid farmers to switch from edible crops to ‘burnable’ crops for fuel
· We are paying higher gas prices to transport what wheat we do have.
· Rice is scarce as well, so other countries who usually focus on rice as a staple (which is most all other countries than the US/Europe) are now shifting to adding more wheat in their diets.
The problem of the wheat prices and the at least 75% increase in the last 3 months is not something we can readily do anything about. It will take a few seasons to combat the increase by beefing up the supply compared to the demand. Not only the demand of wheat is at stake, but the demand on rice, that effects wheat, the demand on gas, that effects transport and biodiesel fuels, which place a demand on land that could be used for growing wheat, but instead grows corn or soy to burn to transport wheat that isn’t there anymore.
This cycle seems like a gerbil wheel – that someone else stuck us on. So, what to do now?
While rice and wheat are being either highly priced or limited due to store rationing, we have to look to other alternate grains and learn to work with them. Learn to use grains such as Rye, Kamut, Spelt, Millet and others. Learn to have smaller portions of breads and pastas and increase corn breads and barley breads.
All grain is not wheat. If we will look to some alternatives, we can stave off the demand on wheat in this current season, and maybe even expand our diets to include some more healthy choices of grain.
Best Blessings!
Donna Miller
