Housing costs | 12:36 a.m. April 20, 2008
Housing costs in the Uintah Basin area are even worse than they are in Salt Lake. The average RENTAL cost for a home here is about $1500 per month. Many are more than that. One ad in the paper for a home is $3000 a month to rent. Our married son, his wife and baby live with us because they can't afford to rent or buy on his income of $13 an hour. I wanted to buy some cheese at the store. It was $10! I didn't even look to see how much it weighed, probably 2 or 3 pounds. I paid $3.51 a gallon for regular gas today. Cost $40 for 1/2 a tank of gas. The Basin is floating in oil and natural gas, yet we are still buying foreign oil at ridiculous prices. The high cost of fuel makes everything else high, due to shipping expenses. In our area we are very dependent on goods that are trucked in. It would take mere minutes to empty the 3 grocery stores here, in the event of an emergency. It's pretty scary, for sure!
It's terrible... | 1:56 a.m. April 20, 2008
for sure. I have had to spend double these last two months then I did the same time a year ago. And like the article I also have 5 to feed. I spent more then a person should have too and I didn't get hardly any meat, except a few cans of Tuna. I have now had to make jam and bread to try and save some pennies. Something has to be done and NOW! It isn't fair for a person to have to decide between food and rent! Forget about buying a house anymore!
Good Job | 3:35 a.m. April 20, 2008
That article was a cut above most desnews articles. If it didn't have the tired comments of Kelly Matthews, it would have been even better.
Comments continue below
ndnarts | 3:56 a.m. April 20, 2008
Food prices will get worse. In the D & C 29:16 we are told that a "great hailstorm will come forth and destroy the crops of the earth."
Bob G | 5:08 a.m. April 20, 2008
We americans have no one else to blame for the state of our economy but ourselves. We have been living the past many decades on lies and deceit and perceived wealth. Our government has let our major businesses move out of the country along with our jobs, well paying jobs. America is no longer a self sufficient country that can take care of its own. Then add all the 23 million illegals in the mix that are also preying on our economy makes it even worse. The food we eat is no longer grown or a product of america, it's all imported and with the dollar showing it real value, almost nothing, it has a profound cost increaase on our staples. The gasoline is not the only product of oil and the reason it costs more. Look at how much of the food, toys, phones, applicances, cars, use plastics, all products of oil. Gasoline use is getting the blame for oil prices but look around you, stop buying and/or complain about products made of plastics. Drink water out of the tap instead of buying the plastic bottles. Pharmacuticals are another big oil user creating and manufacturing carbon (oil) based products.
That's Utah | 5:32 a.m. April 20, 2008
Grocerys go up and so does the taxes
Same for gas
Cops working the streets and the courts are stealing your money
JWK | 6:38 a.m. April 20, 2008
Government policies are causing both the increase in food and the ever increasing fuel prices. In the governments push to make us 'energy independent' we are sacrificing food for energy in the production of ethanol creating shortages on the world market of food.

While I am all for clean energy, developing all the energy we need will not be accomplished through wind, solar, or grain based ethanol.

We have to get started now on nuclear energy and developing our natural resources, read oil. As always, the only people who really get hurt during these times are the poor, middle class, and elderly.

When the environmentalists stop driving, flying, heating and cooling their homes, and stop the ruse of carbon offsets, then I will consider their argument. Until then, we need to get people into office that will stand up for the United States to make us strong instead of selling us out to foreign interests.
frank from idaho | 6:42 a.m. April 20, 2008
Just keep voting republican and things will get worse
Common Sense from Idaho | 6:56 a.m. April 20, 2008
Mr. Clinton did a lot when he was in office didn't he. Let me think...nothing but show the country it was ok to be immoral.
liberal larry | 7:05 a.m. April 20, 2008
Commodity prices are increasing for one simple reason, demand is out stripping supply. Global population is continuing to increase while the world's supply of oil and arable land are declining. It's not rocket science folks, we will experience ups and downs in commodity prices, but with people in China and India finally gaining a degree of affluence, high prices and scarce resources are hear to stay.
Optimist | 7:13 a.m. April 20, 2008
Please you people. Learn to cook some basics. Americans eat too much anyhow. We don't need to eat meat every day (or at all). A big bowl of daily oatmeal with some a little milk and honey is cheap, tasty, satisfying, and healthy. It's time to reevaluate your meal plan. Stop the hype, hysteria and whining.
Dave | 7:25 a.m. April 20, 2008
We are just reaping the benefits from 40 years of enviromentalism. It is time for the pendelum to swing the other way.
Blue | 7:22 a.m. April 20, 2008
High prices fall directly at the feet of the Republican administration and the six years during the Bush years that the GOP had control of Congress. Since 1980 the Republicans have increased the national debt from 900 billion to 10 trillion and as a result the dollar has lost part of its value.
Jim III | 7:38 a.m. April 20, 2008
To Frank from Idaho:

I does not matter if one votes democrat or republican. Congressional members of both parties are corrupt. I am a member of the LDS Church and I personally would not vote for even one of the existing members of the LDS Church in Congress now.
Modern Americans are still asleep at the switch. They go for the easy route. It will not get any better. Even those who think that they are immune are not immune. There are a number of members of the Church in the stake that I am part of who's incomes are well into the six figures plus, and they think that they will come through the coming events with hardly a scratch. That their money will protect them because they will be able to continue buying the food and other things that one needs to exist. They will still be able to go to some store someplace and buy what they need. They definitely have some extremely strong rose colored glasses that they are wearing. A couple of former lawyers who used to live here made their living by going to American companies and buying(?) or// continued next post
Jim III | 7:44 a.m. April 20, 2008
continued: an existing company and going in with the MBA (Mindless, Brainless, Assinine) accountants and moving most if not all of the business to a "friendlier" country, with workers that will work for cheaper wages. Mean while the accountants and the lawyers legally pocket a whole lot of money and think that they have done a good thing.
Some months ago I read an article in a local paper (in Michigan) about a General Motors plant that had undergone a plant revision. The plant Managers had somehow managed over a few months managed to lay off about 1500-2000 workers. A few months after laying off these workers the plant managers(accountants) could not figure out why the demand for their product had started to drop off. White shirt and a tie along with a college degree does not guarantee that a person has a lick of common sense as to how things work.
DeLaval Milker | 8:05 a.m. April 20, 2008
Liberal larry was right. Essentially, supply is outstripping demand. We no longer live in a bubble of isolation, and there are simply too many of us on earth.
Many problems we've created are all going to come back and bite us all at once, and our sense of entitlement to cheap energy and food, among other commodities, is going to have to undergo a painful reevaluation. In spite of all the grousing, hardly anyone mentions conservation. If we haven't suffered enough, it's our right to suffer some more.
Robert | 8:08 a.m. April 20, 2008
Thank you for this excellent article.
miss G | 8:17 a.m. April 20, 2008
The photo of a woman and her grandson shopping that accompanied this article was revealing. In her shopping carts I could see two cases of pre-made, canned lemonade, a case of canned soda, and a bag of prepared green salad. This kind of wasteful packaging, shipping and time-saving food items cost the consumer a lot without increasing the foods nutritional value. If each shopper could refuse to purchase empty calories and wastefully packaged items and take a little time to prepare their own salads, sandwiches and cereal, the bottom line on their grocery bill would be considerably less. So often we want convienance and super refined foods that we let go of the idea that our first priority should be nourishing our bodies. An old hobby of mine is checking out grocery carts each week at the store. I am appalled at what many people purchase to feed their families. It would do wonders for our health and our pocketbooks to eat more "real" food and refuse to purchase the junk food.

I cannot change the government, the farmers, or the oil producers, but I can change what I purchase to feed my own family.
Steve-O | 8:22 a.m. April 20, 2008
America is also the most wasteful society in the world. We take more than we need, over-consume, over-produce children, supersize... how can anybody expect the earth to sustain the burden we are putting on it? Maybe the crunch will remind people of the difference between want and need. We have been warned for years and it bothers me that people dare act surprised.
Bart | 8:50 a.m. April 20, 2008
Cynthia Millar needs to reevaluate things. I thought about making my jam too, but with the cost of the strawberries, sugar, sure-jell and lids, as well as the cost of cooking, etc., it's cheaper to buy it in the store, even at todays prices.
Dixie Dan | 8:53 a.m. April 20, 2008
Not to worry because nothing changes in Utah. They'll vote for continued Republican representation which will just continue the downward spiral of our economy. Utah needs an active two party system to give residents a choice of who they wish to elect to represent them.
Jim III | 9:19 a.m. April 20, 2008
Amen!
Blue, Dave is right.. | 9:28 a.m. April 20, 2008
Republicans like low food prices, they are not stupid. Shop Wal Marts foods to save money. I have proved by checking it out that I have been saving 30% or more on most items over the big food chains prices. I eat very little meat. We concentrate on the veggies, fruits, whole grains like brown rice, and our health has improved too. There is a way to beat high prices by avoiding the prepared foods.
Anonymous | 9:45 a.m. April 20, 2008
I'm sorry, but I have very little compassion for large families. You made that choice to have many kids, now you have to pay the consequences. You have more mouths to feed, more bodies to clothe, and of course you have a much larger vehicle to haul them all around.
Wasteful Dave | 10:28 a.m. April 20, 2008
Well according to wasteful Dave, above, conservation is the reason food prices are so high! DAVE YOU ARE BRILLIANT. Are you turning on all your lights, runing the furnace at 80 degrees, and leaving the tap running nonstop? that is sure to lower prices!
Liz | 10:26 a.m. April 20, 2008
Food prices are high, but I still will buy organic foods, fresh fruits/veggies, and good quality foods that don't have high fructose corn syrup. Store brand things are just full of preservatives and gross things. Cook from scratch, avoid packaged and processed things, and avoid the pop and junk food.
Just The Truth | 10:36 a.m. April 20, 2008
In just one year. Remember the election in 2006? Thought you might like to read the following:

A little over one year ago:
1) Consumer confidence stood at a 2 1/2 year high;
2) Regular gasoline sold for $2.19 a gallon;
3) The unemployment rate was 4.5%.

Since voting in a Democratic Congress in 2006 we have seen:
1) Consumer confidence plummet;
2) The cost of regular gasoline soar to over $3.50 a gallon;
3) Unemployment is up to 5% (a 10% increase);
4) American households have seen $2.3 trillion in equity value evaporate (stock and mutual fund losses);
5) Americans have seen their home equity drop by $1.2 trillion dollars;
6) 1% of American homes are in foreclosure.

America voted for change in 2006, and we got it!
Remember, it's Congress that makes law not the President.
He has to work with what's handed to him.

uncannygunman | 10:36 a.m. April 20, 2008
Good article. Interesting and varied comments. I like it (not the food prices!).

I really don't think there are going to be people starving to death in Utah anytime soon. Still, hunger is a terribly motivating thing. It will be interesting to see what changes come if hunger does become a part of our everyday lives.
re: anonymous | 10:46 a.m. April 20, 2008
Children are a joy, not a commodity!! And yes, I too, believe in responsible reproduction, but I would never discount the joy of a family. What if things get so bad that even you and your yuppy spouse are standing in the soup line? Atleast I'll have the things money can't buy: children!!!!
Spanky | 11:56 a.m. April 20, 2008
Utah Republicans are reaping what they sowed by blindly following the Greedy Old Party for so long. Too bad, so sad. Don't look for sympathy here.
RE: Just The Truth | 12:16 p.m. April 20, 2008
Well, that isn't really the truth is it? The truth is that the current economic situation in the US is due to 7 years of Bush rule and policies, and that the with only a 1 or 2 vote majority over the past year, the Democrats haven't been able to push any bills through to stop the mess that you Republicans have made of the United States over the last 7. Outsourcing, hand in hand with big business, unnecessary and immoral war, record trade and budget deficits, growing government regulation, tax cuts for the most wealthy. You Republicans have the US headed down the road to ruin, and you have no one to blame but yourselves.
Anonymous | 12:20 p.m. April 20, 2008
lets keeping following democratic enviornmentalism and burn 20% of our corn crop to pursue an entirely energy inefficient ethanol and than scratch our heads wondering why food prices have increased.
Don't blame me | 12:46 p.m. April 20, 2008
I didn't vote for them.
SRR | 1:05 p.m. April 20, 2008
Oilseeds are used to make biodiesel, not ethanol
Anonymous | 1:08 p.m. April 20, 2008
For years and years we've been told that Americans have the "obligation" to help people of other countries. We're supposed to subsidize Europe's defense costs; we're supposed to let the entire world move here; we're supposed to open our markets to foreign countries even when they don't open theirs to us.

Finally, the bill is coming due. It sounds horrible to say this, but it actually makes me happy. I'd rather confront these bad policies now than put it off even one more day.

It is not the Republicans' fault. It is not the Democrats' fault. It is both their faults, and, more importantly, ours, too. Let's stop believing in the naive , silly, stupid nonsense we're taught by Oprah and the media and the churches and the NEA and start listening to common sense.
common sense? | 1:44 p.m. April 20, 2008
It is far too easy for people to throw around a term like "common sense" as if it justifies their malformed arguemtns.
King of The Earth | 1:56 p.m. April 20, 2008
It's all my fault. I'm sorry. I will lower everyones prices. The check is in the mail.
liberal larry | 3:10 p.m. April 20, 2008
With global population increases and the rest of the world starting to consume at American rates, it is only a matter of time before we start to experience more shortages of basic necessities. We all owe our president a heart felt thanks. With his misguided energy policies and bogus war he has advanced the inevitable commodities crisis by 10 years or so, giving us a chance to glimpse the future.
Southern CA Porter Rockwell | 3:19 p.m. April 20, 2008
When Utah experiences paying $3.95 cents a gallon for unleaded gasoline (which the average in Los Angeles County), then we can welcome you to the jungle.
41 Cadillac | 4:02 p.m. April 20, 2008
SLC citizens will purchase a $400,000 3 bedroom home on the Avenues. Then complain because no money for food or gas. Go Figure?
DKB | 4:16 p.m. April 20, 2008
I am more concerned about gas prices. Why isn't anything being done about that? Darn Fat Cats in Washington!
Simple Solution | 4:40 p.m. April 20, 2008
Democrats and thier bedfellow environmentalists absolutely would not stand for drilling in ANWR, off-shore or the myriad other places we have oil. Bush tried, Dems in congress said no way! Well folks here we are, shortages of oil = high oil prices = high prices rippling through the economy. To make things worse Congress and Bush decide its a good idea to use 1/3 of the nations food supply to power our cars! It's just one more crazy law that upsets the ecomony hurting the poor the worst! Solution = EXPAND oil exploration EVERYWHERE; EXPAND coal fired power plants; BUILD new nuclear power plants. GLUT the market with cheap energy, problem solved. Then enjoy watching radical envorinmentalists, Algore and the Dems scream like mashed cats!!
Simpler Solution | 4:57 p.m. April 20, 2008
Grow a Garden. Become a Localvore.
SLMG | 5:04 p.m. April 20, 2008
I am a U.S. citizen living in Australia, it is the same here and in every other country around the world, prices on everything are going up. Acually U.S. prices are a lot less than many other countrys. We buy gas by the liter here if that is converted to gallons we pay more than $6 a gallon. Yes, there is blame to most governments not just the U.S., we live in a global market and that is what controls our lives. We have to take control of our own lives, don't buy what you don't need, get rid of the gas guzzeling cars, shop and eat smarter, grow your own even if you have to dig up the roses or plant in pots on a balcony. We are ultimatly responsible for ourselves and families, we have been told for years to be prepared, are we?
Boo Hoo | 5:14 p.m. April 20, 2008
Frugality and hard work aren't common characteristics of the American people anymore. We have become a latent, disrespectful people and we are paying for it. Everyone in the boundaries of this nation has been guilty. Let everything good come to us because we deserve it. This is a fallacy. We would rather head to a fast food joint or spend excessive cash on trendy clothing, gadgetry, etc than seek to save money and time for our families. We all need to sit down, quit complaining, and do something for ourselves. Ranting and raving won't get you anywhere!
Just The Truth | 5:31 p.m. April 20, 2008
Taxes...Whether Democrat or a Republican you will find these statistics enlightening and amazing.

Taxes under Clinton
Single making 30K tax $8,400
Single making 50K tax $14,000
Single making 75K tax $23,250
Married making 60K tax $16,800
Married making 75K tax $21,000
Married making 125K tax $38,750

Taxes under Bush 2008
Single making 30K tax $4,500
Single making 50K tax $12,500
Single making 75K tax $18,750
Married making 60K tax $9,000
Married making 75K tax $18,750
Married making 125K tax $31,250
Just The Truth | 5:33 p.m. April 20, 2008
Both democratic candidates will return to the higher tax rates
It is amazing how many people that fall into the categories above
think Bush is Getting to them and Bill Clinton was the greatest
President ever. If Obama or Hillary are elected, they both say they
will repeal the Bush tax cuts and a good portion of the people that
fall into the categories above can't wait for it to happen. This is
like the movie, The Sting with Paul Newman; you scam somebody out of
some money and they don't even know what happened.
bunny ranch | 5:49 p.m. April 20, 2008
so can we change zoning laws so that I can raise some chickens and maybe a pig in my backyard?
Isaiah | 6:11 p.m. April 20, 2008
Stumbled across some words of Isaiah quite dramatic today chapter 5 verse 8, "Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth!" - and whether or not there is a question of hermeneutics and whether or not Isaiah was speaking for our day - regardless of all things else I think these developers like Ivory Homes and others who build massive amounts of homes that have no space for gardens or capitalistic construction folks who build homes as rentals - I'm very aware I'm speaking against a very large wind, but I've ALWAYS felt inside that it's a wrong thing for people to be closed in and as well to not be responsible for their own independence. I'm not Amish, and I wouldn't advocate not caring for the earth - the politics of the cowboy is where I stand, but the formation of kids who have never grown their own food prevails. Seems overdue that we shift back to our roots - no pun intended. - We need to advocate more space in zoning.
Greed! | 6:21 p.m. April 20, 2008
Its all greed!! We do not have a food shortage! The US govt still pays farmers NOT to grow crops! The same thing that happened with Oil prices will happen with other commodities such as wheat and corn. The greed of the speculation traders at the chicago board of exchange or CBOE is the cause of high oil and food prices. Major Investors are buying future contrats on these commodities, driving up the prices and making Billions of dollars every day. they will put our phony news stories to help hype up the price. that is what is really happening. Its all about greed. Haven't you all noticed the last few years every time someone comes out with same "supply and demand" news story gas prices shoot up or if someone in the middle east sneezes gas prices go up again!! yet CEOs of major oil companies receive 100 million dollar bonus'. Most Industries make alot of money if they can create "Global shortage" of their products. this helps them justify raising prices and making millions to the companies bottom line. We can all be taken advantage most of the time.

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Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News

Cynthia Millar makes strawberry jam in her Murray home. Food prices are rising globally, and Millar is looking for ways to deal with the pinch.

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