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Record organic soy prices lead to food inflation

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U.S. imports of organic soybeans fell by 18% over the last year according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data. Currently, the U.S. is the number two soybean grower worldwide, with 70% of the produce imported back to the states. Meanwhile, chicken farmers who use soybeans for feed are paying higher prices due to the shortage.

In addition, Argentina, the number two exporter of soybeans to the states saw an even greater decrease. Shipments fell by 30%. As a result, the price for soybeans rose to a seven-year high. According to commodity data firm Mercaris, soybeans now cost $33 per bushel. The previous record was $25 per bushel in 2014-2015.

Bell & Evans owner Scott Sechler called it a “madhouse” in an interview with Reuters. His 127-year strong company feeds 500,000 to 600,000 chickens every week.

“There’s not enough in America to replace all the imported organic grain,” Sechler told Reuters. Therefore, the price of chicken is bound to increase to make up for the increase in feed.

In the meantime, total U.S. organic acreage is growing faster than ever at 6%. Mercaris has predicted that there will be a record 9 million acres of organic produce by the end of the year. Altogether, there are nearly 20,000 certified organic farms.

According to the Organic Trade Association, last year, U.S. sales of organic food increased 12.8% to $56.5 billion, compared with a 4.6% increase in 2019. Then, in 2020, organic foods accounted for 5.8% of food sales.

You can follow Jenny Goldsberry on Twitter @jennyjournalism.

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Massachusetts Democrat Mayor wants to end ‘right-to-shelter’ law amidst migrant crisis

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More Democrat leaders from non-border states are wising up to the immigration crisis our nation faces. Woburn mayor Scott Galvin, of the progressive state of Massachusetts, is hoping that lawmakers will overturn a 40-year-old law because the reality of being “bleeding heart liberals” is resulting in the demise of his town.

The 40-year-old “right-to-shelter” law has got to go, says mayor Galvin, because of the immense strain the thousands of migrant families are putting on the area’s residents. By Friday, there were about 150 families living in the city’s hotels, an “unsustainable” arrangement for his 40,000 constituents.

Galvin told the New York Times the right-to-shelter law, which only exists in Massachusetts, was “passed at a different time, and was not meant to cover what we’re seeing now.”

National Review reports:

Under the 1983 right-to-shelter law, Massachusetts officials are legally required to offer housing to any homeless families seeking shelter in the state. The law now covers a rising influx of migrant families, although individuals are not covered under its provisions.

“We’re going above and beyond, while some communities around us are not being impacted, and we don’t have endless capacity in our schools,” said Galvin. “The benefits that are bestowed on migrants make the state a very attractive destination, and without some changes, this challenge is not going to abate.”

Massachusetts Democrat Governor Maura Healey already declared a state of emergency on August 8th, requesting help from the federal government. On August 31, Healey activated up to 250 Massachusetts National Guard members to assist the more than 6,000 migrant families already in the state’s shelter system.

Approximately 6,300 families are living in emergency shelters and hotels across the state, up roughly 50 percent from the year prior. The cost for such accommodations for all the migrants is approximately $45 million per month, National Review reports.

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