4 Rising Food Costs That Will Hurt Your Wallet

Prices are on the rise in grocery stores across the country. You may not notice the changes right away; that loaf of bread may be only a dime more expensive than it was last year. The soda you buy may be the same price but it's now 1.5 liters instead of two. Many of the major cereal manufacturers, such as General Mills, have warned of impending price increases. (Which items on your list are costing you more? Find out in Foods With The Biggest Price Increases.)

Why Are Grocery Prices Going Up?
While almost every grocery store aisle is affected by rising prices, a large part of the reason all comes down to two commodities: wheat and corn. Both food staples have been hit hard for the past two years - a combination of climate change, natural disasters and crop disease. Russia has experienced severe drought for the past two years and had stopped exporting wheat altogether to ensure enough of a domestic supply. They have resumed limited exports as of July 2011 but supplies are still short. A disease called wheat rust UG99 has wiped out crops across Africa and is spreading to other wheat-producing countries at a rapid pace.

via ca.finance.yahoo.com