I think with all the new breweries coming up and the huge explosion in homebrewing there will be a shortage in the popular hops..i.e. Simcoe, Citra, Centennial, etc... That is just a simple supply/demand issue. I did hear one hop grower/retailer mention that Cascades might be in short supply this year due to weather....seems odd since you can always get Cascades online for pretty cheap. I think the thing to do for a prudent homebrewer is to buy your favorite hops in bulk as soon as they are available andvacuum seal them. If you don't use them you can always sell them to other homebrewers and make your money back. How's that for creating a panic...