Fred's Hens :
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I can well understand all the advertising and trucking adding to the cost. But it always has, this isn't a recent development. These price hikes are crazy. I still think that, at least where I am, there is some gouging going on.
Diesel, as everyone knows has skyrocketed over the past 3-5 years. Corn? Soybreans? My!!! Lots of factors driving commodities. World demand, world population, ethanol, politics, production issues related to climatic conditions, take your pick.
Some local mills are up to $12 a 50# and they are using their own grains. I don't see it as gouging as much as the new reality, perhaps. Semantics? I dunno. Frankly, given the cost of the raw materials, $25 a hundred for a quality feed is about right. That doesn't mean it makes any of us happy. There is major inflation in the food stuffs, grains, etc. I see no chance of a return to the "good old days" of lower feed/food prices of just a few years ago. There is far, far too much world wide demand. There is also a limit to the acreage that can be put into production. Welcome to the 21st century. It is a bit unsettling.
Quote:
I can well understand all the advertising and trucking adding to the cost. But it always has, this isn't a recent development. These price hikes are crazy. I still think that, at least where I am, there is some gouging going on.
Diesel, as everyone knows has skyrocketed over the past 3-5 years. Corn? Soybreans? My!!! Lots of factors driving commodities. World demand, world population, ethanol, politics, production issues related to climatic conditions, take your pick.
Some local mills are up to $12 a 50# and they are using their own grains. I don't see it as gouging as much as the new reality, perhaps. Semantics? I dunno. Frankly, given the cost of the raw materials, $25 a hundred for a quality feed is about right. That doesn't mean it makes any of us happy. There is major inflation in the food stuffs, grains, etc. I see no chance of a return to the "good old days" of lower feed/food prices of just a few years ago. There is far, far too much world wide demand. There is also a limit to the acreage that can be put into production. Welcome to the 21st century. It is a bit unsettling.
I didn't just wake up to the world yesterday. I've been seeing prices rise for decades. Here, $14 a bag would be a normal, expected rise in price due to the factors you've mentioned. $18 a bag is just beyond crazy. That is a huge jump that has only just happened in the last few months. Overall it depends on where you are as to what is outrageous as well. We already pay more than you do for feed because of said fuel prices since the stuff is grown so far away.
Add to all the above the fact that one little mom and pop feed store seems to be able to do just fine charging what I consider to be a reasonable amount while the big guys are charging an arm and a leg, and I still think there's at least something not quite right here.
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