David L. Ortega

@dlortega.bsky.social

4.8K followers 240 following 160 posts

Food Economist | Professor and Noel W. Stuckman Chair in Food Economics and Policy at Michigan State University | Venezuelan 🇻🇪

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Economics 31%

Agriculture 24%

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David L. Ortega @dlortega.bsky.social · Dec 30

What to Watch in 2025: Key Issues Shaping the Food Economy

As we enter 2025, the #food economy faces major developments that will shape the sector. Here are 5 issues I’ll be watching closely: 🧵

1/n

Reposted by David L. Ortega

The Associated Press @apnews.com · 1d

Bird flu and another disease have shrunk the U.S. turkey population to a 40-year low this year.

Stores keep prices down in a tough year for turkeys. Other Thanksgiving foods may cost more

Bird flu and another disease have shrunk the U.S. turkey population to a 40-year low this year. Wholesale turkey prices are expected to be up more than 40% as a result.

bit.ly

David L. Ortega @dlortega.bsky.social · 4d

No, Thanksgiving is not 25% cheaper this year.

Reposted by Richard Waite, David L. Ortega

NPR @npr.org · 9d

Wholesale prices for a turkey have jumped 40% from a year ago. n.pr/4phUXtP

Thanksgiving could be more expensive this year. Here's how to navigate higher prices

Wholesale prices for a turkey have jumped 40% from a year ago.

n.pr

Reposted by David Feldman, Rosemary A. Joyce, David Rothschild , and 8 more David Feldman, Rosemary A. Joyce, David Rothschild, Chris Hanretty, David L. Ortega, Alan Richardson, Aaron Sojourner, Gerald Friedman, Mark Rice, Henry Jones, David Darmofal

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 9d

KARL: The president claims that Thanksgiving costs are down 25%. Does he know that's not true?

HASSETT: Well if you look at Walmart--

KARL: Wait a minute. I've gotta stop you. The Walmart package this year contains much less than the one last year. That's why the price is less.

David L. Ortega @dlortega.bsky.social · 9d

Talking #tariffs and food affordability on CBS Evening News. Rolling back some of the #food tariffs helps ease upward pressure, but prices are downward-sticky. Any relief at the grocery store will take time.

David L. Ortega @dlortega.bsky.social · 11d

The arsonist turned firefighter

Reposted by David L. Ortega, Timothy D. McBride

Marcia Brown @marciabrown.bsky.social · 11d

Brooke Rollins says on Newsmax SNAP participants will have to re-apply for the program.

Details are still unclear.

via Grace Yarrow for @politico.com

www.politico.com/news/2025/11...

Trump administration will require SNAP participants to reapply for benefits

The move is part of USDA chief Brooke Rollins’ effort to overhaul the nation’s largest anti-hunger program and get rid of “fraud.”

www.politico.com

David L. Ortega @dlortega.bsky.social · 14d

Ahead of Thanksgiving, many families, and the grocers who serve them, face tough choices.

Delays in #SNAP payments strain budgets and ripple through communities.

I spoke with @nytimes.com about what’s at stake for families and food retailers. 👇

The New York Times @nytimes.com · 15d

There’s growing concern among grocery stores, restaurants and food producers, as some economists say the lapse SNAP payments is likely to cause lower-income households to scrutinize their spending more.

With SNAP on Hold, Low-Income Shoppers Cut Back and Businesses Worry

A delay in SNAP benefits mixed with a decline in foot traffic has many stores, restaurants and food producers concerned about sales.

nyti.ms

Reposted by David L. Ortega

The New York Times @nytimes.com · 15d

With SNAP on Hold, Low-Income Shoppers Cut Back and Businesses Worry

A delay in SNAP benefits mixed with a decline in foot traffic has many stores, restaurants and food producers concerned about sales.

nyti.ms

Reposted by Rosemary A. Joyce, David L. Ortega, Nathan P. Kalmoe , and 1 more Rosemary A. Joyce, David L. Ortega, Nathan P. Kalmoe, Sylvia Perry

Steve Vladeck @stevevladeck.bsky.social · 18d

Here's the promised longer explainer:

www.stevevladeck.com/p/190-snap-wtf

190. SNAP WTF?

A very quick explainer on what (and why) Justice Jackson issued an "administrative stay" in the SNAP case late on Friday night, and on what's likely to happen next

www.stevevladeck.com

David L. Ortega @dlortega.bsky.social · 19d

Food prices since Trump took office

David L. Ortega @dlortega.bsky.social · 19d

Food economist here 🙋🏽‍♂️ would like to disagree and point out that grocery inflation since Trump took office has accelerated relative to the preceding months.

Also those price increases for coffee, ground beef, chocolate, bananas, and canned goods in recent months? That’s in large part the tariffs!

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 19d

Q: Food prices are still going up. Grocery prices are still going up. How do you respond?

MIKE JOHNSON: All of the economist have shown that food prices always go up. There's an inflationary level that's built in to grocery prices.

Reposted by Christian E. Weller, Jonathan Hopkin, David L. Ortega , and 1 more Christian E. Weller, Jonathan Hopkin, David L. Ortega, David Darmofal

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 19d

David L. Ortega @dlortega.bsky.social · 19d

We’ve made America so great that I just booked a backup rental car for my weekend return flight home. 🙄

Reposted by David L. Ortega, Southern Africa

Annie Waldman @anniewaldman.bsky.social · 19d

We crunched the federal data and found the US is on track to have the *fewest inspections since 2011* (excluding pandemic years).

In recent years, the FDA has typically been able to conduct ~110 foreign food inspections each month, but in March, the number of inspections dropped almost in half.

David L. Ortega @dlortega.bsky.social · 19d

*checks price data*

Wholesale turkey 🦃 prices 40%🔺y/y

Retail beef roast 🥩 prices 18%🔺

David L. Ortega @dlortega.bsky.social · 20d

SCOTUS skeptical of Trump’s tariffs during oral arguments today.

David L. Ortega @dlortega.bsky.social · 22d

Since the president took office, food prices have increased 1.7% 📈

Groceries are up 1.6% 🔺

Menu prices are up 2.5% 🔺

The Lincoln Project @lincolnproject.us · 22d

Trump denies grocery prices are up and then says people will be fine because "their 401ks are up." (Nearly half of Americans have no retirement savings)

Reposted by David L. Ortega

The Lincoln Project @lincolnproject.us · 22d

Trump denies grocery prices are up and then says people will be fine because "their 401ks are up." (Nearly half of Americans have no retirement savings)

David L. Ortega @dlortega.bsky.social · 29d

Chocolate prices are scary high this Halloween 🎃🍫📈

Cocoa costs have surged to record highs after years of poor harvests in West Africa — where most of the world’s cocoa is grown.

The result? Smaller bars, more fillers, and higher prices.

Reposted by David L. Ortega

Nsikan Akpan @monscience.bsky.social · Oct 25

Since Sept. 1, bird flu outbreaks have wiped out 1.2 million turkeys from farms supplying meat for dinner tables—or 20 times more than at the start of last year's flu season. Egg-laying hens face a similar uptick.

I wrote about what this could mean for Thanksgiving, egg prices, and biosecurity. 🧵

Bird Flu Roars Back: What It Means for Thanksgiving | Think Global Health

Since September, turkey and egg farms have lost millions of birds, renewing pressure on food prices and biosecurity

www.thinkglobalhealth.org

Reposted by David L. Ortega

Aaron Sojourner @aaronsojourner.org · Oct 25

POTUS:

- stops $ to buy US farmers' products for hungry Americans shrinking farmers' domestic market

- vaporizes US farmers' foreign markets via tariffs

- sends billions tax $ to Argentina to bail out Trump donors while Argentina boosts its farmers sales to US farmers' former customers

Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · Oct 25

“.. perhaps the most cruel and unlawful offense the Trump administration has perpetrated yet — freezing funding already enacted into law to feed hungry Americans while he shovels tens of billions of dollars .. to Argentina and into his ballroom.”

@politico.com #SNAP
www.politico.com/news/2025/10...

Reposted by Richard Waite

David L. Ortega @dlortega.bsky.social · Oct 25

Breaking down what’s behind your rising grocery costs with my friends at PBS NewsHour 🛒📈

🔗 Full segment youtu.be/YqIGSdKn184

David L. Ortega @dlortega.bsky.social · Oct 23

👀🍿

David L. Ortega @dlortega.bsky.social · Oct 23

🥴

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · Oct 21

CNBC: Is importing beef from Argentina a possibility?

BROOKE ROLLINS: Yes, the president has said he's in discussions with Argentina. It will not be very much. Argentina is also facing a foot and mouth disease issue.