Citizens nationwide, including GCSU students, have had to budget accordingly as grocery prices have increased, with the main causes being recent tariff implementations and labor shortages.
It is not atypical for grocery prices to rise and fall, but this year the U.S. has seen a dramatic elevation. Students in college already have a monetary burden on top of them, whether that is for buying textbooks or paying tuition. With rising grocery prices, additional stress is added. Some students have resorted to budgeting to combat this change.
“I’m setting more of a budget for myself now,” said Shakira Farley, a junior political science and economics major. “Like counting costs and buying more processed foods because it helps me save money.”
Some students resort to buying processed foods as a way to cut back on their spending. Though, this leaves individuals with dietary preferences in an awkward position.
“I do not eat gluten-free as much as I would like to because grocery prices have risen,” said Jenna VanSant, a junior global studies major. “It is extremely expensive to be fully gluten-free in this economy… it is just too expensive.”
The two most prominent causes of these price changes are the nationwide labor shortages resulting from immigration crackdowns and recently implemented tariffs on imported goods.
According to the British Broadcasting Company, President Trump and his administration have implemented base tariffs of 10% on all imported goods from any country, 50% tariffs on Indian goods, 50% tariffs on Brazilian goods and so on. These expenses are then passed on to consumers.
“If we have a 10% tariff on nuts, we’re just basically charging people 10% more to buy those nuts,” said Kalvin Mudrow, an economics professor. “This raises tax revenue, but who’s it coming from? Well, it’s coming from you and me… It’s domestic consumers that really pay the large portion of that tariff.”
With these implementations, companies must pay a higher tax to the government on their imported goods. In most cases, companies raise their prices so consumers can take on the effects of the changes.
At the same time, more immigration crackdowns have taken place nationwide. Agricultural and meat packaging sectors have been a sizable target for Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids.
According to CNN Business, “Since January, 1.2 million foreign-born workers have left the labor force. Agricultural employment dropped 6.5% from March to July, a loss of about 155,000 workers, reversing two years of growth.”
Many illegal immigrants are employed in these divisions and have been scared off by ICE’s presence. With fewer workers, food production decreases, as the United States has seen this year.
Immigration crackdowns and tariffs have impacted grocery prices significantly, but the effects are not completely uniform. Product prices fluctuate depending on their origin. For example, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, coffee prices rose 20.9%, while cereals and bakery products only rose upwards of 1.1% in the past year.
Coffee is typically imported from Brazil and has seen this hike in prices because of the high tariffs, higher global demand and even climate change. Cereal and bakery products, on the other hand, are impacted by United States labor shortages, but not tariffs as they are typically produced domestically.
Students at GCSU recognize that these changes may impact a broader scope of individuals.
“Although I’m not going to become homeless or starving because of these grocery prices, there are still people that did not grow up with the same privileges that I was given,” said Lizzie Peters, a senior political science major. “I think it’s very important that we think about this. Just because it is not affecting us, does not mean it’s not affecting other people.”
Peters’ comment serves as a reminder that federal legislation has a significant impact on local communities, especially in cities like Milledgeville, which have high poverty rates.
GCSU offers resources for students who are struggling financially. Campus Corner is a food pantry on the first floor of the Student Activities Center that provides food and hygiene products. The pantry is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The Office of Student Care and Outreach is also a resource that students can utilize for further assistance with basic needs. It is located in Parks Hall in room 206 and the office can be reached from the number 478-445-7535.