SABEW offers conference call on covering rising food prices

The Society of American Business Editors and Writers will hold a conference call next week for business journalists offering tips on how to cover rising grocery prices.

Food costs now gobble an even bigger bite out of the budget for every American, regardless of income, race or gender. Consider this: In the last two years, world market prices for major food commodities, such as grains and vegetable oils, have soared 60 percent. The White House warned that the elevated food prices will drag on for several years.

What gives? SABEW aims to find out.

In the latest of its popular news-driven panel discussions, SABEW has assembled an expert roster to explain how to cover rising food prices, including how to explain to Americans why they’re suffering sticker shock, the effects on consumers and the global ramifications. The call, which will be held Thursday, May 29, at 11 a.m. EST, is free.

On the call will be Joyzelle Davis of the Rocky Mountain News, Scott H. Irwin of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Chris Leonard of the Associated Press and Karen Robinson-Jacobs of the Dallas Morning News.

If you are among the first 250 people to send an e-mail to sabew@missouri.edu, you will be automatically sent instructions on how to participate in the call. The title of the e-mail will say “Out of Office AutoReply.�

If you want to send questions in advance, please e-mail SABEW board members Cliff Cumber (ccumber@newspost.com) or Dawn Wotapka (Dawn.Wotapka@dowjones.com).