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Karina Jones is a real-life ranch wife in the Nebraska Sandhills, Field Director for R-CalfUSA and one of the most highly sought-after speakers in the cattle industry nationwide!
Good day everyone in farm & ranch country.
Good day everyone in farm and ranch country!
On the heels of one of the biggest grocery consumer spending holidays, I think I speak for most, if not all of us that we are incredible thankful for the American farmers and livestock producers of all species who have invested their lives in to feeding their neighbors and the people of this nation. At a time when large scale feasting is the celebratory custom it should be easy to look at the kitchen counters and the dining room table and see that this food didn’t come from “just a grocery store.” It came from someone’s hard work planting, tending and harvesting it. It came from someone’s foresight and skill of birthing it, raising it, and harvesting it. Then there were the people that were involved in the production lines that further processed it and packaged it. Of course, there were the truckers and transportations companies that got it to its retail destination so that caring employees in those grocery stores could get it on a shelf for you to have those choices to put in your cart, to bring home to your family. It really is an incredible process that goes into feeding this nation and we should all be deeply grateful for everyone who plays a part.
National Farmers Union (NFU) 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 consumers empty their carts onto the checkout lines at their local grocery stores and supermarkets this year, they’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.
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
While the upcoming Farm Bill has been given a one-year extension, we all must work hard to continue to reach out to our lawmakers to make changes that benefit the American consumer and the hard-working food producers in this country.
Join me right back here next week as I bring you more ag news from our nation’s capital.
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Karina ranches with her husband, Marty, and 4 children near Broken Bow, NE. She grew up in western NE, with roots also in southwest SD. The cattle industry and raising kids is her passion.
Tune in Fridays on The Hot Barn Report, where she deep dives into cattle industry issues and highlights industry reforms or listen to Ranch Raised with Karina Jones a slice of daily life on the Jones Ranch.
