“Although the United States remains the breadbasket of the world, a drought, heat wave, or changing weather patterns in the U.S, could have devastating effects throughout the global food supply.”

-Jim Bakker in “Prosperity and the Coming Apocalypse”

Food prices worldwide have jumped due to unusual weather patterns. Prices jumped 6% in July. The United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization food price index measures price changes for a basket of food including cereals, dairy and meat. The July index, while higher, is still below the all-time record in February 2011.

The FAO released a report for July when they normally avoid issuing a report. The given reason was the “exceptional market conditions” that the drought in the USA, excessive rains in Brazil and production problems in Russia have caused in the world supply.

Cereal prices were up 17%. Sugar jumped 12% to a new high because of rain hampering the sugarcane harvest in Brazil.

“The severe deterioration of the maize crop prospects in the US following an extensive drought damage pushed up maize prices by almost 33% in July,” the FAO report stated.

The price increases have raised concerns of a food crisis like those in 2007-2008 that led to food riots in Haiti and Egypt.