Hundreds Sickened with Salmonella and Ag Economy Barometer Down
**More than 400 cases of salmonella across the country have been linked to backyard poultry.
The Center for Disease Control reported over 100 people have been hospitalized.
Texas and Missouri have the most cases, followed by Minnesota, Washington, Michigan, and Oklahoma.
Almost 70% of those sickened say they had contact with backyard poultry.
Backyard poultry like chickens and ducks can carry Salmonella germs even if they look healthy and clean.
**The August Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer dipped 13 points from July to a reading of 100.
That drop echoes levels seen from fall 2015 through winter 2016 during the early stages of a significant downturn in the U.S. farm economy.
The Index of Current Conditions also dropped 17 points to 83, while the Index of Future Expectations decreased 11 points to 108.
**According to a USDA report, some 13.5% of U.S. households had trouble getting enough food in 2023, up from 12.8% the year before.
www.agrimarketing.com reports, the food insecurity rate had jumped even more in 2022, rising from 10.2% in 2021, the largest annual increase since 2008.
Roughly 18 million households were classified as food insecure in 2023.
These results come as American consumers remain concerned about the rising cost of living and food prices.
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