Vintage Fudge Recipes, Skyrocketing Road Salt Prices

Air Date:
Heard On Central Time

Road salt is an essential part of Wisconsin winter safety, but after a harsh winter last year stockpiles are down and prices are up. We speak with a business reporter about the lengths that road clearing companies are going to to secure salt. Then we prepare for family time and the holidays with a look back at vintage baking recipes.

Featured in this Show

  • Salt Prices Soar After Last Year's Record Snowfall

    Last winter’s record-breaking snowfall has proven to be a major blow to this season’s road salt supplies in Wisconsin. Salt buyers throughout the state are seeing prices at more than double per ton of salt compared to last year.

    The prices are affecting private contractors who largely plow and salt for large shopping centers and business parking lots among other places. The rise in prices largely don’t affect municipalities like the city of Milwaukee, which previously locked in prices with contracts in years past.

    “Last year, (private contractors) were paying about $60-to-$65 a ton,” said Rick Romell, business reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “This year, it’s around $150-to-$200 a ton.”

    In comparison, Romell reported that the city of Milwaukee is paying about $56 a ton this season.

    The increase is a classic example of supply and demand. Last winter’s snowfall required more salt to keep the roadways safe. Private contractors reported that on average, they go out to salt 30 times a season. Last year, many went out more than 50 times.

    Salt supplies drained so quickly that some contractors ran out completely, leaving buyers vulnerable to the market and tinkering with additives like sand and even cheese brine.

    Cities throughout the Midwest typically receive salt from mines in the eastern part of the Great Lakes region. Romell said Milwaukee receives approximately 25 percent of its snow from the Goderich mine in Ontario, Canada.

    Due to the depleted stacks here in the U.S., tens-of-thousands tons of salt salt is being brought from Egypt, Morocco and Venezuela. The distance puts the prices at a premium.

  • Food Friday: Vintage Fast Fudge Recipes

    As the holiday season draws near, we get some fun vintage baking recipes from an expert.

  • With Short Supply, Road Salt Prices Skyrocket

    After a harsh winter last year, road salt supplies are lower in Wisconsin than is usual for this time of year. Salt buyers in the state are seeing prices at more than double per ton of salt.

Episode Credits

  • Rob Ferrett Host
  • Veronica Rueckert Host
  • Galen Druke Producer
  • Amanda Magnus Producer
  • Rick Romell Guest
  • Ruth Clark Guest