Hold that PB&J — peanut prices are going up

This final note today, courtesy of the U.S. Department of Agriculture — and, incidentally, bad news for the children of the Ryssdal household.

No more crunchy peanut butter in their school lunches. The USDA says the drought in the south is going to trip the 2011 peanut harvest 13 percent. JM Smucker — which makes Jif and, by itself, accounts for almost half the peanut butter market in this country — says prices will go up 30 percent by the end of the year.

So you’ve got to figure creamy’s cheaper than crunchy, right? Fewer peanuts?