The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the September Consumer Price Index rose 8.2 percent in September compared to the corresponding month in 2021.  The core component, excluding food and energy, was up 6.6 percent from a year ago.  The monthly increase from August to September rose by 0.4 percent at twice the rate predicted by economists and also higher than the July to August 2022 comparison.

Food costs are 13 percent greater than in 2021 with protein considerably higher.  Pork was 1.8 percent, chicken by 1.6 percent contrasted with beef that declined fractionally.  Egg prices are up 30.5 percent due primarily to an imbalance between supply and demand caused by the depopulation of 36 million hens from HPAI.  Egg prices have recently declined as replacement flocks have entered production.

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