According to the United Nations, food prices, particularly in the United States, Russia, and Europe, have escalated dramatically after a constant period of price stabilization. The Food Price Index, a monthly measurement of food prices, indicates these prices, which are a cause of concern relating to people on the border between hunger and survival. As The New York Times reports, heavy droughts and intense heat have constricted the agricultural portions of the mentioned countries economies. While the price changes are unnoticeable between the North American and European populations, they could potentially add to the food shortages in developing countries. In the United States, the principal product increase involved dairy, as it jumped up to 7% in September 2012 after measurements taken in January 2011. In Russia, as another student has written on,  grain products have risen 5-10%, brought on by drought.

Until the cost of milk is equivalent to a months worth of groceries, the price of food will go unnoticed in the more developed countries, which initiates a concern that government agencies will under analyze the situation that could potentially lead to a major food crisis.