(KIWA Staff Photo)
Statewide Iowa (RI) — Iowa Farm Bureau economist Christopher Pudenz says a study by the American Farm Bureau Federation finds the classic Fourth of July cookout will cost a little more this year.
This year’s 250th anniversary meal is the most expensive since the survey started in 2016. Still, Pudenz says the cost is below inflation.
The eggs used to make the egg salad in the survey saw the biggest drop in price, down nearly 18%.
Protein prices, however, are up — with hamburger up 5.5% and pork up 4.7%. Pudenz says strong demand is driving those increases.
He says that strong demand for pork and cattle has helped farmers who also raise corn and soybeans.
Pudenz notes USDA data showing farmers see only six cents of every sollar spent on food, with the rest of it going toward processing, marketing, and distribution.
