Let’s Talk Turkey
How many go to buy their weekly, or monthly, groceries and think about the local farmer? Or after paying for those groceries, you cuss the farmer because of the “high prices of your food”?
Did you know that farmers and ranchers receive only 14.3* cents of every dollar that consumers spend on food at home and away from home?
According to USDA, off-farm costs, including marketing, processing, wholesaling, distribution and retailing, account for more than 80 cents of every food dollar spent in the United States.
This week, Farmers Union released the updated Farmer’s Share of the food dollar for items typically served during the Thanksgiving holiday. These figures reflect how much family farmers earn compared to the amount consumers pay at the grocery store.
As you empty their you cart onto the checkout line at their local grocery stores and supermarkets this year, you’re likely to see increased costs for certain goods. To make matters worse, little of that increase is being passed on to America’s family farmers and ranchers!
Multiple waves of mergers and acquisitions during the last several decades have resulted in agriculture and food supply chains that are uncompetitive and fragile, but also underpay farmers.
Let’s take a small look at the Thanksgiving Day dinner. Everyone with a family will be preparing one. Here are some numbers that might shock you.
Turkey and stuffing, the centerpieces of many Thanksgiving tables, have the lowest farmer’s share of the food dollar of the group with just $0.03 and $0.02 of each dollar spent at retail making it back to growers.
Included in the 2023 Thanksgiving Farmer’s Share numbers are:
Turkey, 11 lb frozen: Retail Price – $21.89, Farmer’s Share – $0.66
Mashed Potatoes, 5lb bag: Retail Price – $3.99, Farmer’s Share – $0.64
Sweet Corn, 16oz frozen: Retail Price – $2.99, Farmer’s Share – $0.41
Stuffing, 12oz box: Retail Price – $3.99, Farmer’s Share – $0.09
Boneless Ham, 2lb: Retail Price – $12.98, Farmer’s Share – $1.32
Pumpkin Pie Filling, 15oz can: Retail Price – $1.79, Farmer’s Share – $0.16
Cranberries, 12oz: Retail Price – $2.99, Farmer’s Share – $0.29
Now, let’s look no at some “general weekly food buys” that a typical person MAY purchase at their local grocery store.
Soda
Two Liter Bottle
Retail: $0.99
Farmer: $0.09
Lettuce
1 Pound
Retail: $2.29
Farmer: $0.21
Tomatoes
1 Pound
Retail: $2.00
Farmer: $0.67
Carrots
5 Pounds
Retail: $3.99
Farmer: $2.33
Boneless Ham
1 Pound
Retail: $12.98
Farmer: $0.90
Loaf of Bread
Retail: $4.49
Farmer: $0.18
Potatoes
Russet, 5 Pounds
Retail: $5.99
Farmer: $2.47
Top Sirloin
1 Pound
Retail: $9.99
Farmer: $2.91
Fresh Apples
1 Pound
Retail: $1.25
Farmer: $0.88
Flour
5 Pound Bag
Retail: $6.89
Farmer: $0.64
Corn Cereal
18 Ounce Box
Retail: $5.99
Farmer: $0.09
Bacon
1 Pound
Retail: $4.99
Farmer: $0.90
Milk
1 Gallon, Fat Free
Retail: $4.39
Farmer: $1.54
Eggs
1 Dozen
Retail: $2.29
Farmer: $1.51
Beer
12 Packs, Cans
Retail: $14.99
Farmer: $0.07
Wheat Bagel
1 – 4 oz. Bagel
Retail: $0.83
Farmer: $0.02
Now, let’s discuss this “Farmers Share”. In actuality, it cost more to produce these goods than the farmers actually receives when he sells it on the market!
Is this hard to believe?
I hope so.
Is this a shock to you?
I hope so!
Is this the truth?
You bet your ass it is!
Look at the Thanksgiving dinner totals. The 11 pound turkey, costing you about $21.89 at the checkout. The turkey farmer that raised that turkey. Fed it, had USDA Certified veterinary services, inspections of his facilities, etc. actually was paid a whopping $0.66!
Stuffing, your cost at the checkout, $3.99 for a 12 ounce box. The farmers share of that, a whopping $0.09!
As I said earlier, the Turkey and dressing, which are the two main centerpieces of any Thanksgiving dinner table are the two items that the farmers share, his actual “take home pay” that has to cover everything from raising the turkey, or growing the goods that go into that box of stuffing mix, AND put money in the farmers pocket to pay his household bills, buy his family groceries, and try to save for his retirement. Something that each and every one of us take for granted because we have paying jobs where we earn a living, have retirement benefits, medical insurance, and all the other amenities that farmers don’t have.
As most of you know, I was born, and raised, on a farm. My dad owned 640 acres in western Palm Beach County, Florida, where he raised some cows, grew pepper, beans, eggplant, squash, and cucumbers. Back in those days, early 50s through the mid 70s, farmers did the “bartering system” between themselves for most of their family groceries. My dad would trade vegetables to other farmers for food we needed at home that he didn’t produce himself. We had plenty of meat, but he’d trade vegetables for poultry products, or pork products. Or he’d trade some beef for other meats he didn’t grow and produce. This kept the cost at the grocery store at a low minimum. We didn’t even buy milk, butter, or other dairy products. We had a dairy farmer that sold it, and we traded vegetables for milk every week. It was quite a system. And, when dad harvested his crops, he always paid the other farmers for the products he owed them for, and the rest went to the market where the vendors bought it for the stores. Sometimes we even took produce to the local grocery stores so they could sell them, advertising that they sold only produce grown by local Palm Beach County farmers. It was quite the campaign for them.
I realize that now is a heck of a lot different than before. I also know that back in my day of growing up on the farm, the farmers take home from the market for their produce, or animals they sold at auction, was a hell of a lot different than it is now. But, in reality, is it?
Back then, the farmer had the labor to pay, fuel to buy for the tractors, and equipment. The actual cost of the equipment. Tractors, disc, bedders, plow, and all the other tools, equipment, that’s needed on a farm. Not to mention the sprays, fertilizer, and seeds. For the rancher it’s the cost of feed, veterinary services, fertilizers, sprays, plus the fuel, tractors, trucks, and other equipment needed to raise those animals. In reality, today is no different. It just cost the farmer, and rancher, a hell of a lot more fur all the same stuff. But, their take home isn’t much different now than it was back then, in comparing the cost to produce vs the money paid, it’s no different. Probably a bit worse now than then.
I also realize I haven’t touched the bucket for the cost list for the farmers and ranchers. I’m just giving you the obvious cost. They even have insurances to buy. They have to purchase Crop Insurance every crop season to cover the crops for any losses they may suffer due to disasters, or diseases that may wipe out their crop, flock, or herd. It happens, every year!
Bottom line here:
When you sit down at your table full of food, your Thanksgiving dinner with that beautiful turkey, big pan of stuffing with all the fixings and deserts. When you say your blessing, remember the farmer and rancher that produced absolutely everything on your table.
One last thing. Do me this one favor.
DON’T CUSS THE FARMER WITH YOUR MOUTH FULL!!!
He’s not the one making a killing off of you at the grocery store!
Happy Thanksgiving to ALL!!!
Data for this publication was sourced from USDA NASS, and other industry sources.
Some of the above was taken directly from:
https://nfu.org/farmers-share/
https://nfu.org/2023/11/13/nfu-releases-2023-farmers-share-of-thanksgiving-food-dollar/
Thanks Daniel. As you know I AM a farmer . We are now just a small farm -still raise most we need, organically, cook from scratch, and trade with other locals . I do shop some things at the grocery store, but few.
It’s a chosen lifestyle.
Kids are grown , gone to seek their fortunes...and ‘done well’. We give thanks .Great work ethics. And, though they love to come home and visit they’re ......not.going.to.farm!
The plight of the farmer has been like this for DECADES. And why the numbers of farms -what used to be - are near gone. Even the big agri systems struggle now.
Nice article , good footwork, thanks again Daniel.
This should be published.