Coming scarcity

It is midsummer and as I write this, cucumbers are bringing $35.00/bu., summer squash is out of sight and even corn is tight.  These three items are usually virtually free on markets at this time of year due to the productivity of farms and favorable weather.  This "summer", the conditions have been anything but favorable and it is reflected in veg prices.  Heavy rain in the spring followed by a heat wave and then a very cold spell has most growers shaking their heads.  If this is climate change, growing crops will become even more risky and food prices will trend higher because of it.  The rains now inundating the Midwest will probably result in reduced corn and soybean harvest which will translate into higher prices for commodities also.  It becomes more apparent every day that our civilization is balanced on a razor's edge of climate variability.  A few degrees either way from what is expected can bring disaster.  Meanwhile, our elected representatives tune up their violins and rearrange the deck chairs....