Internet Tax & Higher Food Prices

Internet Tax & Higher Food Prices plus Food Forethought. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Northwest Report.

Ever since E-commerce has taken off there has been an attempt to tax it. And once again it has failed as Idaho saw an internet tax proposal not even make it to the introduction phase. The federal government has been licking their tax greedy lips over this issue for years and may one day manage to take a bit but a number of foes of the idea feel it is just another way for greedy government to collect more tax revenue.

Well this next feel very much like broken record. USDA is reporting that food prices are on the rise. Just what you wanted to hear before heading to the grocery store for your Easter Sunday dinner fixing. Economist Ricky Volpe explains.

VOLPE: We’re still on track for retail food prices to increase probably more than the historical average, probably by about 3 to 4% in 2013 over 2012 levels mostly because of higher commodity prices that resulted from the 2012 drought in the midwest. We’re keeping our eye closest on all prices for foods that are animal based so of course meats. Your beef, pork and poultry but also eggs and dairy products. These are the foods that are most dependent on corn based animal feed and that’s where we expect to see the biggest impacts.

Now with today’s Food Forethought, here’s Lacy Gray.

Energy drinks are enormously popular here in the United States, especially with students. The safety of energy drinks has been highly debated, and there are plans to reintroduce a bill that would require supplement and energy drink makers to register more information about their products possible negative health effects. There have been numerous reports of possible harmful reactions and even deaths in association to the consumption of energy drinks. Leading physicians and public health professionals have written to the FDA Commissioner insisting that the caffeine in energy drinks should no longer be considered “generally safe” by the agency. The FDA has been reviewing the safety of energy drinks and is considering requiring labels that disclose the exact amount of caffeine the product contains, use limitations, and warnings about possible adverse health effects, which is rather like closing the barn door after the horse has got out, but at least the agency is taking a step in the right direction. Let’s hope that they aren’t “baby steps”, and that something is done sooner rather than later. Until then, it might be wise to consult your health care professional before you or your children partake of energy drinks.

Thanks Lacy. That’s today’s Northwest Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.