Farm Bureau: July 4th Cookout Costs Soar Over Last Year

July 2, 2022

U.S. consumers will pay $69.68 for their favorite Independence Day cookout foods, including cheeseburgers, pork chops, chicken breasts, homemade potato salad, strawberries and ice cream, based on a new American Farm Bureau Federation marketbasket survey.

The average cost of a summer cookout for 10 people is $69.68, which breaks down to less than $7 per person. The overall cost for the cookout is up 17% or about $10 from last year, a result of ongoing supply chain disruptions, inflation and the war in Ukraine.

The marketbasket survey shows the largest year-to-year price increase was for ground beef. Survey results showed the retail price for 2 pounds of ground beef at $11.12, up 36% from last year. Meanwhile, the Agriculture Department’s Producer Price Index indicates that compared to a year ago, farm-level cattle prices are up 17.5%, but wholesale beef prices are down 14%.

Several other foods in the survey, including chicken breasts, pork chops, homemade potato salad, fresh-squeezed lemonade, pork & beans, hamburger buns and cookies, also increased in price.

One bright spot for consumers is the average retail price for strawberries, which declined by 86 cents compared to a year ago. Sliced cheese and potato chips also dropped in price, 48 cents and 22 cents, respectively. Better weather conditions in some fruit-growing regions and greater retailer pricing flexibility for processed products are the likely drivers behind the modest price declines for these items.

The July 4th cookout survey is part of the Farm Bureau marketbasket series, which also includes the popular annual Thanksgiving Dinner Cost Survey of common food staples Americans use to prepare meals at home.

Data for this year’s survey was collected by volunteer shoppers across the country and in Puerto Rico, including Farm Bureau members and others.

Comments

10 Responses to “Farm Bureau: July 4th Cookout Costs Soar Over Last Year”

  1. KJ on July 2nd, 2022 7:04 pm

    @Josh/Denny

    I am so glad there are some intellectual people here. Americans really think the world revolves around them and that world issues happen due to an opposing American political side.. Even though the same issues are going on in different countries xD Too much lead/plastic poisoning and unregulated chemical ingestion from over the years perhaps.

  2. Lee on July 2nd, 2022 5:47 pm

    @Anne. This is NOT just a U.S. problem. The pandemic has put the entire world in economic turmoil. The war in Ukraine made it even worse. However, our president cannot fix oil prices. Private companies own that oil and are making record profits. We can thank greed, and lawmakers who are taking huge contributions from big oil, for the prices we are seeing now.

  3. NPC on July 2nd, 2022 5:42 pm

    @Josh and Denny. Was the white house congratulating the world for the $.16 that were saved on the same meal at this time last year?

  4. Denny on July 2nd, 2022 1:24 pm

    Josh, the folks posting after you obviously didn’t read your comment. Inflation is worldwide but people don’t think outside the border.

  5. Anne on July 2nd, 2022 11:26 am

    When the wicked rule, the people moan… Proverbs 29.

    Got gas today at Sam’s Club for $4.119 per gallon.
    Before Jan 7, 2021 the same fuel was about $1.76 per gallon.
    So, tell me, how much better off are We the People with this new administration?

  6. observer on July 2nd, 2022 10:58 am

    And grass-fed beef is twice that.

  7. NPC on July 2nd, 2022 9:33 am

    There will be those who were elated last year about the $.16 savings and glorify Biden for his accomplishment of such a wonderful job with the economy. This year is a blame game and that is an excuse that eases the burden for none. Work to find solutions instead of who to point the finger at and solve the problems. An individual with the most limited amount of knowledge about raising crops and animals knows next year will be more expensive and then the finger pointing out has three pointing back.

  8. Josh Jones on July 2nd, 2022 8:58 am

    @SW

    Yes, because “Brandon” has absolute control over inflation, which is happening around the world. We should just declare him emperor of the world, right? SMH

  9. SW on July 2nd, 2022 6:55 am

    Thank you, Brandon.

  10. NoMo on July 2nd, 2022 3:28 am

    Sorry but nobody will be getting my money this year at that rate. This country has gotten so out of hand since Biden throws this country’s money around like it’s a game using fake Monopoly money. Shame shame.