Farmers are receiving a small portion of the consumer dollar for traditional Thanksgiving foods, according to the National Farmers Union (NFU) in its annual “Farmer’s Share of the Food Dollar” report. The data highlights that while grocery prices remain high, producers continue to earn only a fraction of what consumers pay at retail.
The NFU’s report details how farmers’ earnings compare to retail prices for several Thanksgiving staples. For example, farmers receive just $0.06 from the $2.49 per pound price of turkey, which is about 2.4% of the total. Other products show similar disparities: mashed potatoes bring in $0.94 out of $6.99 (13.5%), stuffing yields $0.06 out of $4.59 (1.3%), and dinner rolls return only $0.09 from a retail price of $4.49 (2%).
The organization attributes these inequities to long-term corporate consolidation in agriculture and food distribution, stating that monopolies have reduced competition and left family farmers with little leverage while consumers face higher costs.
“Even in a season of gratitude, we must acknowledge the continuous inequality in our food system and agriculture industry,” said NFU President Rob Larew. “Family farmers and ranchers work year-round for historically low profits across all sectors of the industry, while consumers are still paying unsustainably high prices at grocery stores. Fairness for farmers is also fairness for consumers – when rural America does well, we all benefit.”
NFU’s ongoing Fairness for Farmers campaign focuses on addressing issues such as anti-competitive practices and lack of transparency in agricultural markets by advocating for stronger antitrust enforcement and fairer market conditions.
“Every Thanksgiving, the numbers tell the same story: farmers aren’t asking for a bigger slice of pie, just a fair one,” Larew added. “It’s long past time to fix a food system that works for corporations but not for the families who grow and consume our food.”
Data used in this year’s report was sourced from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service as well as other industry sources, with retail prices based on Safeway brand products sold in Washington, D.C.
The National Farmers Union supports family farmers and ranchers through education, advocacy and collaboration to improve rural communities across state and local divisions nationwide (official website). Established in 1902, NFU represents hundreds of thousands of members with programs designed to promote sustainable farming practices and economic growth (official website). The organization also promotes member engagement through conventions and policy discussions (official website), advocates for fair farm policy (official website), and offers leadership training events aimed at strengthening rural economies (official website). Rob Larew currently serves as president (official website).
