Cowboys With No Cattle

Walking along the Meat aisle in the local supermarket these days requires a new kind of patience.In the past any rise in price would mean a quick shuffle from beef to pork or chicken.There always was breathing room on the weekly shopping trip until the "Event " quietly passed.As the Un-official start of Summer draws near most Americans will get a rude awakening to the barbecue realities of 2014.It seems that Cowboys cut back on cattle herds a few years ago to compact a prolonged drought out west.Since it takes a few years before a calf is ready to be slaughtered, a shortage will occur at this time.Globally beef consumption rises every year putting more strain on the product cycle.At the same time young pigs are dying at an alarming rate from a diarrhea virus making pork prices go up.Chicken prices will surely rise as people flock in that gastronomic direction.Seafood can be scratched off the list due to high prices attributed to over- fishing on the high seas.Vegetables prices will also rise due to the California Drought which does not seem to be ending anytime soon.So what will Americans eat on Memorial Day ? That is a tough question to answer when the Winds Of Fate are not blowing in your direction.The extra cash going for groceries will come out somewhere in the economy.Gas for the car may be victim in the race for the monthly budget.Whatever you do,don't blame the lonesome Cowboy staring across the empty landscape.The next roundup is right around the bend.