Hoosiers Will See Increase In July 4th Cookout Items

As we prepare for Independence Day, Hoosiers should expect to see an increase in staple summertime grocery items.

File Photo

(Indianapolis, Ind.) - As Hoosiers are preparing for their Independence Day cookouts, they should expect to see an increase in the cost of some summertime staple grocery items. 

A new survey from Indiana Farm Bureau found that Hoosiers can expect to spend just over $5 per person for this year's cookout, which is approximately five percent more than last year.

The survey was conducted in mid-June by 20 volunteer shoppers from across the state who collected prices on specific food items from one of their local grocery stores.

The shopping list included the following: ground beef, hot dogs, buns, pork spare ribs, watermelon, American cheese slices, baked beans, potato salad, corn chips, lemonade, ketchup, and mustard.

Isabella Chism, Indiana Farm Bureau 2nd vice president and chair of the Women’s Leadership Committee said, “despite minimal increases this year, Indiana food prices continue to remain affordable, and just below the national average, hosts gathering with family and friends this year can feed the crowd on a budget if they purchase the more affordable items in our market basket this year, like hot dogs and hamburgers.”

The most notable increases on the shopping list were deli potato salad, hamburger, and hot dog buns, ground beef, pork spare ribs, and hot dogs.

The change that consumers have seen year to year closely aligns with the federal governments Consumer Price Index report for food at home. As grocery prices have increased gradually over time, the share of the average food dollar that America’s family farmers receive has dropped.

According to the United State Department of Agriculture’s revised Food Dollar Series, farmers in the mid-1970s received more than 30-cents on the dollar for consumer retail food purchases. Since that figure has decreased and is now less than 15-cents per dollar.

“Only a few years ago, I mentioned that the farmer’s share of our food dollar was around 16-cents. That share continues to decline for farmers and is now under 15-cents,” said Chism. “Hoosier farmers continue to find ways to streamline their operations and decrease costs of production to accommodate this shift. Nevertheless, our farmers still provide safe, affordable food for Hoosiers and families all over the world.”