The writers of an annual food price report from Dalhousie University in Halifax say they think meat prices will rise as much as seven to nine percent because of a shortage of cattle and hogs. The Canadian Press story does not say what caused a shortage of animals great enough to sustain increases of this amount. The mid-year update suggests that dairy products, eggs, baked goods and cereals are expected to drop between one and three per cent. They were expected to remain flat or rise up to two per cent.