"PBS NewsHour" neglected to include President Biden’s economic and climate change policies as a factor in high food inflation rates during a segment on the economy Tuesday.
PBS economics correspondent Paul Solman interviewed agricultural economist David Ortega on the ongoing inflation crisis plaguing average Americans with regard to groceries. Ortega noted the factors affecting food prices, naming residual supply chain disruptions from COVID, climate change, the war in Ukraine and a bird flu outbreak as the major causes.
"If we look at the heat and drought that is taking place out west in California, that‘s where a lot of our produce is coming from. And a lot of those crops are lower in yield because of heat stress, some failed crops, and that‘s less food available in the market, which puts upward pressure on prices," Ortega said, blaming climate change.
Although Biden has previously touted his efforts to combat climate change, his policies were not included as a factor impacting food prices.
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Along with overall inflation sparked by Biden's American Rescue Plan, his administration's transition to green energy has also sent prices in that sector soaring, affecting costs throughout the economy.
Local farmers have expressed concerns over Biden’s policies such as the Inflation Reduction Act’s claim to reduce carbon emissions by roughly 40% by 2030.
"Americans are feeding into this lie that climate change is because of agriculture and climate change is not going to get better until farmers and ranchers do better," Stephanie Nash, a fourth-generation dairy farmer, told Fox News.
Nash fears the effort to implement green policies across the globe will continue to kill off an already struggling farming industry that's faced with skyrocketing costs for labor, fuel, seed and fertilizer.
But the NewsHour report did not reference any of Biden’s inflation or climate change policies affecting food prices, pointing instead to external factors like bird flu.
"The bird flu outbreak this year, it‘s the second-largest outbreak we‘ve seen in modern history. It‘s affected over 40 million birds, many in commercial operations. And that sends the price of poultry and eggs surging," Ortega said.
"As is evident on store shelves," Solman remarked.
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In September, it was reported that inflation rates rose by 8.3% compared to the same time in September 2021. A new report is expected to be released on Thursday.
Fox News’ Teny Sahakian contributed to this report.
