In 2013, it will pay to be a vegetarian.
From hamburgers to bacon, most of Americans' favorite meat products are expected to cost between 3% and 4% more this year, according to a December 2012 forecast by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The higher meat prices are linked to the historic drought that struck much of America's farmlands this year, causing the price of corn -- a common ingredient in animal feed -- to skyrocket.
As the price of feed rose, many farmers reduced their livestock inventory — creating a meat supply crunch, said Chad Hart, an economics professor and grain markets specialist at Iowa State University.
