Soaring Price of Wings Begets Boneless Substitutes

Deflation stalks the aisles; Safeway cuts below profit point

(NEWSER) - Americans are getting a big break on the price of food, as the recession drives down the cost of wheat, milk, and other staples, and supermarkets fight feverishly for sales. After a year of dramatic increases, commodities are way down—the price of corn, for instance, is down 56% since July 2008. That may be good news to consumers, but deflation is very bad news for retailers, who are seeing revenues drop precipitously, reports the Washington Post. More»

Low-cost organic egg dispenser, or messy nuisance?

(NEWSER) - Backyard chickens have polarized the city council of Salem, Ore., as residents argue over whether to legalize keeping the birds in home coops, the Wall Street Journal reports. It’s one of several such disputes around the US, with some extolling the virtues of a source of free eggs and fertilizer for backyard gardening—especially during a recession. But the noisy, messy birds have opponents squawking over lower property values. More»

Seed sales set records amid recession

(NEWSER) - Sales of vegetable seeds are skyrocketing this season and experts say it’s not just the local food movement or Michelle Obama’s First Garden that’s driving the craze. Americans hit hard by the recession are slashing grocery bills by growing their own, as evidenced by a 30% spike in seed sales at Wal-Mart and a shortage of staple seed stocks at suppliers nationwide. More»

(NEWSER) - The recession has consumers foregoing pricey beef and pork for cheaper chicken, the chairman of grocery chain Safeway tells Bloomberg. “We’re seeing more shifts in the meat category to cheaper meats—ground beef and chicken—than we saw earlier in the year,” Steven Burd says, part of “a trading down virtually across the board.” More»

Foreclosures loom as chicken company cuts contracts

(NEWSER) - Hundreds of poultry farmers face foreclosures on their pricey chicken houses after poultry giant Pilgrim's Pride dropped their contracts. Some are suing in return, claiming the company encouraged them to take on hefty mortgages and vowed to keep their grandkids in business, the Wall Street Journal reports. Most farmers own multiple football field-size coops that cost $200,000-plus, but have no resale value in this slump. More»