Weather has taken its toll on crops this year. Some areas have had too much rain, some not enough, and others were ravaged by Hurricane Irene.
Demand And Supply
Iowa vegetable producers noted the weather conditions have not been ideal.
Hail tore tomatoes and peppers off their stalks while a lack of rain dried up green beans.
Corn and soybeans were impacted by the combination of cool spring and flooding as demand has increased at local farmers markets.
'Could Have Been Worse'
The aftermath of Hurricane Irene has left growers on the East Coast wondering what is salvageable -- and thankful when their crops are.
Milk suppliers from Vermont and New York have had a breakdown in supply as bridges have been washed out in the flooding.
There are reports that tobacco crops are almost completely destroyed in North Carolina, while Hudson Valley apple crops received minimal damage.
The effect of Hurricane Irene on food prices is slight -- other weather damage effecting states like Iowa and Texas is much larger, totaling a record $5.2 billion crop loss.
Overall weather will have a small impact on food prices that are already expected to hike 4.5 percent.