One Farmer’s Take on the Current State of Food Prices [Video]

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has entered its second month. The ripple effects are being felt by everyone by way of  higher prices for … well, just about everything. While the cost of gasoline was one of the first things affected, other essential elements in our lives have been following suit. The trickle-down effect from the disruption of oil supply has made its way to higher food prices. But according to Shay Myers, CEO of Owyhee Produce in Parma, ID, folks should brace for even more sticker shock.

Myers (aka, “Shay the Farm Kid”) uses social media to engage with peers and consumers while promoting supply chain transparency. This “farming-fluencer” has a large following across multiple social platforms.

One of his latest posts on LinkedIn highlights the multiple factors leading to higher food prices.

He writes, “Fuel costs are rising, and key fertilizers like urea nitrogen have increased roughly 30% to 50% in many markets. For farmers, that means much higher production costs. And those costs don’t stay in the field; they move through the entire supply chain, which means consumers will soon see higher food prices.”

Telling the story from a farming perspective helps bridge the gap and build understanding between ag producers and consumers. Boiled down: We’re all in this together.

Click below to watch and listen to Myers explain the connection between oil supply, fuel for transportation, fertilizer availability, and food production.