Upstate NY Farmer Warns of Higher Food Prices This Fall and Winter

Farmer and Agricultural expert Ben Simons was on Keeler Tuesday discussing how food prices are going to remain high, going into Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Simons said because of several factors, expect Halloween candy to be more expensive this year, as well as holiday dinners and food in general at grocery stores.

Simons blames several issues for the higher prices. First, he says the growing season this year was not ideal with a cooler and wetter summer in the northeast. Specifically, he said a spring frost in the Mohawk Valley damaged the apple crop. However, he said that apples in Northern New York are plentiful.

Simons also blamed the happenings around the world for our higher prices. Obviously the Israeli - Hamas war that recently broke out is causing new problems, but the Ukraine War is causing delays in food supply shipping. He said, one day Vladimir Putin decides to block shipping and the prices skyrocket. The next week he allows a shipment to come through and the volatile markets come back down. He said he expects events like these to keep food prices higher through the winter.

Simons also credited Greek Yogurt as a savior for New York's dairy industry. Chobani in New Berlin, NY, another yogurt plant in St. Johnsville in Montgomery County, and a new yogurt plant from Coca Cola in Rochester are keeping dairy farmers busy in New York.

Listen to the complete Ben Simons interview below.