Road Salt Prices Jump Following Last Year's Harsh Winter

Cities and counties across the country are gearing up for winter, but as they attempt to refill their road salt supply they are finding higher prices, a result of last year’s long, hard winter.

Last winter put a large dent in the salt supply, and officials in New York are finding higher prices.

According to WSYR TV, “Onondaga County is paying $46.49 per ton of salt, an 18 percent increase from last year.”

“We’re already working Saturdays at our mines, which are unusual for this time of year,” said Cargill Salt Mine spokesman Mark Klein. “That combined with the bidding demand from states, counties and municipalities is up quite a bit on expectations that it’ll be another snowy winter.”

The Farmer’s Almanac is predicting another long, hash winter for 2014-15, and with unseasonable cold hitting the Midwest already this year, it might not be a surprise if the Almanac is correct.

Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston or email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com.