When you look at the calendar, it is clear the “holiday sprint” is about to begin. There are groceries to buy, events to plan for Thanksgiving, and children everywhere are drawing up their Christmas lists. Squeeze in the upcoming Missouri Farm Bureau Annual Meeting from December 8-10 at the Lake of the Ozarks, and it seems like the pages are getting ripped off the daily calendar at an extraordinary rate.
As we approach the five-week holiday dash that starts with a day of thanks and gratitude, it is important to share our appreciation for the thousands of Missouri farmers and ranchers who continue to show up. In this time of uncertainty, it brings a level of peace and comfort to know that farmers and ranchers continue to lace up their boots every morning and put in long hours to provide the plentiful food supply that our nation and world rely on.
That hard work was once again reflected in the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 39th annual Thanksgiving dinner survey, released earlier this week. While this is merely a snapshot of the cost of a Thanksgiving dinner for 10, the overarching results point back to the general state of the economy through times of highs and lows. This year, the survey results that were collected by Farm Bureau members nationwide showed a decline in prices for the second straight year from a 2022 all-time high. The total price of a classic holiday feast for 10 dropped to $58.08, or about $5.80 per person.
Despite fewer turkeys being available due to the overall flock’s battle with Avian influenza, the average American will see about a six percent drop in their main course price this November. Also down are items such as frozen peas (8.1 percent), a gallon of milk (14.3 percent), sweet potatoes (26.2 percent), and fresh vegetables such as carrots and celery (6.4 percent). Processed foods such as cubed stuffing mix and dinner rolls saw modest upticks.
While the grocery store bill might not be as high for a get-together this holiday season, farm families and all Americans are still being impacted greatly by higher prices. Even though inflation growth has slowed down, consumer prices are not coming down. The cost of food has gone up 28% since 2019. As we approach the end of 2024, we are all too aware that inflation continues to impact family budgets.
This Thanksgiving, I’m thankful for the thousands of Missouri farmers and ranchers who put in long hours to provide the plentiful food supply that our nation and world rely on. In a world that rarely stops to notice, let’s take a breath to think of all the hands that helped keep our plates full.
