WEST VIRGINIA (LOOTPRESS) – It’s no secret that working class consumers have fallen upon tough times in recent years.
With skyrocketing gas prices having quickly been followed by similar increases in the cost of food and basic living supplies, budgeting in any capacity has become an even greater ordeal for many Americans just hoping to manage their homes and families day-to-day.
As if the unmanageable cost of basic amenities such as milk, gas, and even bottled water weren’t enough of a hindrance for shoppers, many are now having to navigate a growing lack of availability of items altogether.
In-store shoppers are finding themselves faced with barren shelves and limited selections, while pickup and online shoppers are incurring incessant offers for substitutions at best and at worst, simply being informed that products are not available.
This development is not totally unexpected, however. A June Op Ed from West Virginia Department of Agriculture Commissioner Kent Leonhardt, which can be read at the WVDA website, indicated trends toward increasing prices on food products, as well as possible shortages to come.
“At the WVDA, our worry has always been there may be a time our citizens face higher food prices and potential shortages that could threaten nutrition security,” says Leonhardt. “Coming out of a pandemic that shut down food manufacturers, our country now faces higher energy prices, supply chain issues, and rising inflation.”
Indeed, the process of arriving at our current juncture in the national economy has been steady as well as consistent. Thankfully, the rapidly spiking prices of fuel appear to have leveled out, at least for the time being, in recent weeks.
It isn’t just the grocery products in highest demand which are seeing these increases in price and decreases in availability, however. While products such as chicken, steak, and eggs have seemingly always commanded a perpetually increasing dollar, products across the board, including those of a generic and less popular nature, are trending in similarly dismaying directions statistically.
“Even the Raisin Bran?!,” one customer was heard to exclaim to no one in particular while examining the meager cereal selection remaining at a Beckley grocery chain.
This is notable for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the implication that, not only are customers now unable to obtain their first choices in the products for which they are paying their hard earned money, they are unable even to settle for less serviceable products which they likely would not have even considered otherwise.
Additionally, reports from the United States Census Bureau indicate that West Virginia had the highest level of food insecurity of any state throughout the nation during the first half of june, the same month that saw the publication of Leonhardt’s ‘Investments in Local Food Vital to Fending Off Food Shortages’ Op ed.
“Although we may not face famine in our country, many of our citizens could face food insecurity,” says Leonhardt. “Rural communities will be hit hardest by this crisis, as lack of access and income become a barrier to nutrition.”
Though the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine has been an exacerbating factor in the supply shortages of crucial commodity crops such as wheat and corn, as well as rising costs of fuel and fertilizer, the Food and Agriculture Organization reported that year-over-year food prices were already up 20% in 2022 even before the Russia/Ukraine conflict.
These record-high figures would double following the emergence of the international conflict, with year-over-year food prices hitting the 40% mark for the month of March, 2022.
Feeding America reports that over 20% of West Virginia children live in a food insecure household, while more than 67% of school-aged children qualifying for free or reduced-priced meals is an indicator of nearly 200,000 children in households whose income is below or almost below the federal poverty level.
While the West Virginia Department of Education has implemented and continues to implement several programs and strategies to combat the growing food insecurity faced by children throughout the state, it is clear that these initiatives cannot conceivably correct an issue of this magnitude on their own.
The bubble must burst at some point. Wages are low, the cost of living – not thriving, mind you, just surviving – is high, and continues to rise by the day.
Where, when, and how to properly address these issues remains the million dollar question. The only which can be asserted with any true certainty is that millions of struggling Americans will be incapable of maintaining the economic pace at which the citizens of the country are currently being expected to operate for much longer.