this post was submitted on 02 Jul 2024
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Food bank only had raisins. My food stamps were cut by two thirds. Inflation is way up. Specific shortages. I asked some people around me and they're also struggling. No emergency announcements. Feels like a cover up. I heard US shale oil is peaking. All this and I live in the central valley of California, ag central. I should have food easily, instead it's a struggle.

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[–] mesamunefire@lemmy.world 35 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (2 children)

Are you near Fresno? If so, you can always get a free meal over at the Poverello house. You can also get a food bag. https://poverellohouse.org/what-we-do/food/emergency-food-bags

I used to volunteer over there. Great place.

As far as prices go, you can get a big 25 pound of rice/beans for less than 20$ over at Winco. Back when covid happened it lasted my wife and I about a year on both. It gets boring, but it works.

[–] Fisherman75@lemmy.world 11 points 8 months ago

Yeah around there. I'll check it out.

[–] ultranaut@lemmy.world 26 points 8 months ago (1 children)

I mostly shop at Costco and am not struggling so maybe my perspective is skewed but it seems like food prices have been coming down recently, and I haven't noticed any shortages. If you think it feels like things are being covered up that sounds a little paranoid and conspiratorial to me, food distribution in the US is a huge and complicated system involving a whole lot of people, it seems completely implausible that a cover up of a major food crisis would even be possible. There's just too many people who would notice (and there isn't any kind of centralized hierarchy involved that could pull something like that off). I don't see the relevance of shale oil production, the US produces plenty of oil to be both self sufficient and one of the largest oil exporters in the world. If you're concerned the US doesn't have enough oil or something like that you really shouldn't be.

[–] Fisherman75@lemmy.world 2 points 8 months ago (2 children)

What do you mean you don't see the relevance of shale oil production?

[–] ultranaut@lemmy.world 16 points 8 months ago (1 children)

I mean I don't see how it has anything to do with allegations of a secret food crisis, it seems like a non sequitur.

[–] Fisherman75@lemmy.world 3 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Literally agriculture depends heavily on oil.

[–] ultranaut@lemmy.world 2 points 8 months ago (1 children)

It's a lot more complicated than that. Even if we accept a simplified model where "more oil = more agriculture", the US has seen massive growth in oil production over the past decade so it contradicts the claim that there's food shortages because of oil production. If there are food shortages happening right now it's not at all related to oil production in the US.

[–] Fisherman75@lemmy.world 1 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

I'm referring to shale oil peaking. That's the only reason oil production has increased in the United States recently - shale oil production increasing massively over the last decade. I saw something that seemed to indicate the US shale oil peaking which would be a major factor in food production going forward and may have spooked the markets and thereby disrupted supply chains. What do you think I mean by 'factor' or 'depends heavily on'? When someone is brainstorming it's common courtesy not to get all dismissive and degrading, also basic decency.

[–] Squizzy@lemmy.world 16 points 8 months ago (1 children)

How did the price of oil affect the raisins in the shelf? Why relate the two?

[–] Fisherman75@lemmy.world 3 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Agriculture depends heavily on oil.

[–] Squizzy@lemmy.world 6 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Dude you need more than that, the availability of labour affects agriculture too would it be fair to claik thensupposed food shortage is related to excess desths due to covid.

[–] Fisherman75@lemmy.world 2 points 8 months ago (1 children)

What are you talking about? It's a major factor. I didn't say it was the only factor.

[–] Squizzy@lemmy.world 2 points 8 months ago (1 children)

How is it creating a food shortage? It would be a factor in a price increase not a shortage.

[–] Fisherman75@lemmy.world 1 points 8 months ago (1 children)
[–] Squizzy@lemmy.world 1 points 8 months ago (1 children)

So you dont have anything worthwhile to say then, could have started with that.

[–] Fisherman75@lemmy.world 1 points 8 months ago (1 children)

What? What do you think I mean by that? I'm making a basic statement about reality that seems foreign to you, not one of those mystical things people say. All of these factors in agriculture are intertwined especially the way in which oil pervades the production process.

[–] Squizzy@lemmy.world 1 points 8 months ago (2 children)

Bring supporting evidence to your argument. You have just said vague shit the whole time.

[–] Fisherman75@lemmy.world 1 points 8 months ago

I'm confused. What do you want evidence for? Seems like various common knowledge being mentioned. And why do you think I'm making some big argument? I'm trying to have a broader discussion, more like brainstorming, not a debate. Why all the fuss?

[–] Fisherman75@lemmy.world 1 points 8 months ago (1 children)

It feels like you're incessantly going after me in a bad faith discussion style.

[–] Squizzy@lemmy.world 2 points 8 months ago (1 children)

You came back here after two weeks to make more nonsense statements, hoe is that me going after you? You reopened dialogue and are now complaining.

You said something, made a claim and just have acted like it is some sort of common knowledge generally accepted certainty of life. You have not made any sense.

[–] Fisherman75@lemmy.world 1 points 8 months ago (1 children)

I think you are part of that other completely different culture that is now colliding with ours and we just have no clue how to talk to you people and you have no clue how to talk to us. You seem very rude to me. What makes sense to you and which you take for granted seems completely nonsensical to me, and vice versa. I don't even know where to begin. It's like you're speaking a different language entirely.

[–] Squizzy@lemmy.world 1 points 8 months ago (1 children)
[–] Fisherman75@lemmy.world 1 points 8 months ago (1 children)

You are so incredibly mean.

[–] Squizzy@lemmy.world 1 points 8 months ago (1 children)

That wasnt mean, it is genuine concern. I dont know how to talk to you, you dont make sense to me.

[–] Fisherman75@lemmy.world 1 points 8 months ago (1 children)

I actually have mental health struggles. I take meds every day. I'm at baseline. When someone says "seek help" and I'm fine it's insulting and demeaning. I'm doing nothing wrong. You're being rude to me. This whole thread is about a food crisis that a lot of people on here agree is happening, most in fact, and you are in denial of their experience with this aggressive rhetoric. If you think oil production is unrelated to food production there are better ways to express yourself on that.

[–] Squizzy@lemmy.world 1 points 8 months ago

I understand your grievance and that is fair, I apologise for being rude. I sincerely believe that you have not said anything of substance regarding the ties between oil and food shortages. I am not denying a link but I am questioning the strength of the link, which you implied was very strong.

Food shortage, I do not know your experience in your region but it could be the case. Generally speaking when logistics increase on costs, so do the prices on staples like food. It isnt the case that food would become scarce, at least not at this level of increase.

[–] SpeedLimit55@lemmy.world 16 points 8 months ago

Food prices have been high for a while and it’s probably tough for donations. We are looking at a 30% higher cost of groceries compared to 5 years ago with some items up to 50%. I think the main reason for the cost is corporate greed. If you have an Aldi nearby it’s probably the best place to shop on a budget.

[–] PP_BOY_@lemmy.world 10 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Please withhold all complaints until after November 5th. Thank you for your cooperation in Saving Democracy.

[–] Fisherman75@lemmy.world 10 points 8 months ago (1 children)

If I don't starve before then.

[–] hexadence@lemmy.world 2 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Oh cheer up already. All you have to do is guess who the king is. Really making a big deal out of this.

[–] Fisherman75@lemmy.world 1 points 8 months ago

There is a broader crisis at work you should really be aware of. Watch 'Collapse'. It's a great documentary centered on the work of sustainability activist Michael Ruppert that gets into this.

[–] aubeynarf 7 points 8 months ago

Prices have been going down around here.

[–] foggy@lemmy.world 6 points 8 months ago

Where are you?

My dad is retired and volunteers at a food bank. They had to cut the number of bags of groceries during the pandemic but it's since bounced back.

I'm 100% sure this is regional though, so it obvs doesn't represent your area. Where are you at, roughly?

[–] rolacolaji@piefed.social 4 points 8 months ago

It's so strange. There's this really large divide happening in America. And I am not even talking about a political one. It's a huge class one, and you're either on the side of the fence that doesn't seem to think much of anything is going on, or you're drowning every day with something new being thrown at you ever other second. More people are depending on pantries than ever before. If you've got time, consider grabbing from a variety of banks over sticking to just one. Could save your life. Other suggestion is grabbing the world's largest thing of pinto beans and rice (Walmart will ship) and living off of that and a multi-vitamin for as long as you can. Add in some veggies if you can, use the scraps for broth. Best of luck, it looks like folks got your back anyways.