The severe drought that swept through much of the U.S. last year is continuing into 2013, threatening to cripple economic growth while forcing consumers to pay higher food prices.
"The drought will have a significant impact on prices, especially beef, pork and chicken," said Ernie Gross, an economic professor at Creighton University and who studies farming issues.
"Forecasts are for a four percent (price) increase in food this year, but I think that's on the low side if the drought continues," Gross said. "Food prices will likely be going up much more than the forecast."
Lack of rain and extremely warm temperatures—thought to be from global warming as well as natural climate changes— are blamed for the drought.
Last year's severe weather put nearly 80 percent of the continental United States in drought conditions—the worst in 50 years. Particularly hard it areas include the Midwest states of Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas, as well as Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas and many parts of Colorado and California.
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