Food Stamps Chase Rising Food Prices But Do Not Catch Up

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America's problems in the current economic crisis is steadily reaching the levels of the 1970's and could reach past the levels it reached only 30 years ago. Oil prices are on the rise stimulated by increased demand from China and India, as well as instability in the Middle East. In response to the rise in oil prices new initiatives have been funded to increase the production of bio fuels. The decrease in available grains for consumption and the increase in population has lead to a domino effect causing food prices to soar. Now flooding in the Midwest threatens food prices even more.

This disaster report has caused economists to squabble over reality, all the while the rich worry about the cost of arugula, the poor worry about the cost of Macaroni and Cheese. Welfare class Americans have been hit hard by rising food costs even with the benefits of food supplement funding available to them. Current beneficiaries of "foodstamps" are finding it hard to feed their families even with the assistance. Some families used to budgeting $125 a month are now forced to budget either food or house and utility payments.

The passing of the 2008 Farm Bill may ease the burden slightly on families who are stuck with less food than federal health requirements dictate. The price of food for a minimum nutritional requirement mandated by the Federal Government has risen 7.2 percent. Food prices have risen up to 20% for some products, all the while the increase in foodstamps will not raise again till Oct 2008. In the mean time, people are going hungry.

Currently Jesse Jackson jr. is asking Congress to enact an emergency 20 percent rise in food stamps. Even with a rise in the distribution of benefits may not catch up to food prices that are constantly on the rise.