[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by Red.Apple

Americans loves food.... and food is important for many; heck they want to afford and eat a lot. No wonder why 2/3 of Americans are overweight or obese - because we love to eat!

My dad won't move down to FL because food is more expensive

Americans are hardly unique in that we love to eat. So do the Italians, the French, the Spanish and the list goes on. The difference is Americans love to eat processed convenience foods whereas the rest of the world typically buys real food and cooks it.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by Jkgourmet

If the original question was "why are groceries and produce more expensive in Florida than X", it's a matter if supply, demand and competition. In the grocery industry, competition is a huge factor in pricing.

We live in the Phoenix area, which has 5 MAJOR grocery chains including walmart. It is one of the most competitive markets in the country, giving us the benefit of consistent sales and price wars.

When we spent last winter in Cape Coral, FL we found the prices in grocery stores to be very high. Why? I think the fact that there are only two major chains (and one of them dominates the market) is the reason for those high prices. And in CC, there are only 2 super walmarts, and like them or not, they keep those prices down.

Not so. Competition was fierce and plentiful when I first moved to Florida in the 90s but food was sky-high. It has only been recently that Publix has been an enormous force. Previously, they were there but so were several other chains.

And red.apple, we've limited this discussion to produce that is grown in the center of the state. Why is it so high in Florida yet cheaper in other states where it is shipped.

Another industry we haven't talk about is the cattle that is raised in the middle of the state.

I urge folks to take a drive through central and south central Florida and see all of the incredible resources out there. Why they are not readily available to residents is a mystery to me. I think part of the problem is they are not in demand.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

I urge folks to take a drive through central and south central Florida and see all of the incredible resources out there. Why they are not readily available to residents is a mystery to me. I think part of the problem is they are not in demand.

Exactly, where does it all go? I think until people stop blindly buying whatever Publix feels like stocking and/or begin patronizing farmers markets.. this is our future.

[ozlo]

I think Florida is destined to always have high grocery prices. Take the coupon policies of the stores here, for example. Some of the same stores that allow doubling of coupons or special discounts at their locations outside of the state specifically do not allow such at their Florida locations. I know 95%+ of the produce is shipped in from California and south of the border.

Either Florida does not grow as much as you would expect or it's being sent outside the country? I know truckers have no problems getting loads TO Florida but it can be hard to get one OUT of the state.

And the "farmers markets" here are a joke for the most part.

[kshe95girl]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

Not so. Competition was fierce and plentiful when I first moved to Florida in the 90s but food was sky-high. It has only been recently that Publix has been an enormous force. Previously, they were there but so were several other chains.

And red.apple, we've limited this discussion to produce that is grown in the center of the state. Why is it so high in Florida yet cheaper in other states where it is shipped.

Another industry we haven't talk about is the cattle that is raised in the middle of the state.

I urge folks to take a drive through central and south central Florida and see all of the incredible resources out there. Why they are not readily available to residents is a mystery to me. I think part of the problem is they are not in demand.

There are cattle everywhere around here, there is a dairy collection point in the Belleview area, where does milk go?
Milk was 3.50 a gallon when I was at Walmart the other day.....dont buy milk from there, but I noticed how much it was.

[hiknapster]

I know when I lived in swFlorida those people loved their WallyWorld. Farmer's markets? Not so much.

Here's the breakdown for Florida ag:

"In 2008 Florida had 47,500 commercial farms, utilizing 9.25 million acres to continue to produce a variety of food products.

Florida ranked first in the United States in the value of production of oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, sugarcane for sugar and seed, squash, watermelons, sweet corn, fresh-market snap beans, fresh-market tomatoes, and fresh-market cucumbers.

Florida ranked second in the United States in the value of production of strawberries, bell peppers, and cucumbers for pickles.

Florida ranked fourth in the value of production of honey."

"In 2008 Florida ranked 17th in the United States in agricultural exports, with an estimated value of $2.17 billion. This figure is up by $224 million from the previous year."

Overview of Florida Agriculture: Marketing Florida Agriculture

[ozlo]

Originally Posted by kshe95girl

There are cattle everywhere around here, there is a dairy collection point in the Belleview area, where does milk go?

Wherever it goes we probably do not get much of it here in Florida. Most milk distributors throughout the US use a high amount of reconstituted powdered milk protein from yaks or whatever they can find with utters in China and India.

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

Seriously? I guess he didn't read the link. Our car insurance was cut in half when we moved out of FL. To register cars is a fraction of what it cost in FL. Electric bill is crazy low. And on and on. Even our tax burden is 47th in the country.

Originally Posted by Red.Apple

Americans loves food.... and food is important for many; heck they want to afford and eat a lot. No wonder why 2/3 of Americans are overweight or obese - because we love to eat!

My dad won't move down to FL because food is more expensive

Yep. That's pretty short-sighted of your dad. The money he might save in paying a lower sales tax (we have a lower sales tax than CA, NY or TX), lower property taxes and no income tax will probably more than make up for that.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by chopchop0

Yep. That's pretty short-sighted of your dad. The money he might save in paying a lower sales tax (we have a lower sales tax than CA, NY or TX), lower property taxes and no income tax will probably more than make up for that.

Florida tax burden: 31
Texas tax burden: 45
Tennessee tax burden 47.

On the other hand:
New York: 2
California: 6.





The Tax Foundation - State and Local Tax Burdens: All States, One Year, 1977 - 2009

[kshe95girl]

Originally Posted by ozlo

Wherever it goes we probably do not get much of it here in Florida. Most milk distributors throughout the US use a high amount of reconstituted powdered milk protein from yaks or whatever they can find with utters in China and India.

Ewwwwwww........ milk is another thing that I buy locally.