This is still a very significant story. Food prices are up because corn production in the Mississippi River valley went down due to flooded fields back in June. Even though prices for most commodities are deflating from this past summers highs, food prices are still up 3% from last year at this time primarily because of this.

Underrated five. This story isn't a flash- it's a slow burn. Yes, it's over but the damage is huge. It will affect corn/grain prices (lots of farmland wiped out) and that will have a ripple effect on the cost of food. Which isn't funny because the cost of food was going up anyway because of other reasons. Throw in how seriously this affected communities and population/demographic shifts and you have a five that will resonate for quite some time.

For the people living in the midwest this is a major event. back in 1993 the  midwest had major flooding all up and down the Mississippi river.It  appears this has happend but to a larger extent.I feel bad for all the people  affected.

I don't know to what extent flooding has occurred in other states, but in Iowa these floods have been devastating. The flood of 1993 was considered to be a 500 year flood. This recent flooding shattered the water level records in both the Cedar and Iowa Rivers. I don't have the exact numbers, but off of the top of my head (keep in mind that I've seen nothing but flood coverage on TV for the last few days, so I can come up with this stuff off of the top of my head), the record crest for the Cedar River in Cedar Rapids, Iowa had been about 20 feet, which occurred sometime in the 1920s. Last weekend, it crested at around 30 feet. The record water flow rate for the Iowa river had been about 30,000 cubic feet per second, this year that flow rate was close to 40,000 cubic feet per second. 500 year flood evacuation plans weren't nearly sufficient, as the water reached places that it never had before. Instead of posting pictures, I'll just direct you to kcrg.com to see for yourself, although the pictures just don't do it justice. Travel was nearly impossible in the area due to the closing of all Cedar River bridges other than I-380, and both I-380 and I-80 were closed in places. Travel between Cedar Rapids and Iowa City, which usually takes about 30 minutes, was next to impossible unless you knew about a few gravel roads that connected a few high and dry locations (I figured this out before it became well known). But eventually this route became almost impossible as radio stations began to broadcast it. Some of you will say that this doesn't affect you. But it will. Massive amounts of farm land that usually raise corn or soy beans will remain unplanted. With already high fuel costs, this will drive the cost of ethanol up. It will also likely raise the cost of food due to competition for the corn between food and fuel companies. This flooding will affect your wallet.