The cost of fresh meats could go up thanks to drought like conditions but Michael Doherty, with the Illinois Farm Bureau, says the increase won't be much. In fact, he says a six dollar whole chicken may go up by 12 cents as a result of the crop loss. The USDA projects a three to four-percent increase on fresh meats in 2012 but that's not all related to the drought. Doherty says there are several factors that must be taken into consideration when it comes to price increases, including processing and keeping fresh meat refrigerated until it reaches grocery store shelves.
