Farmers and ranchers take home just 12.1 cents from every dollar that consumers spend on their Thanksgiving dinner meals, according to the National Farmers Union.
NFU’s annual Farmer’s Share publication compares the retail food price of traditional holiday dinner items to the amount the farmer receives for each item they grow or raise.
On average, farmers receive 14.6 cents of every food dollar consumers spend throughout the year, more than the recent study finds.
NFU President Roger Johnson says, “We’re in the midst of the worst farm economic downturn in generations, and we’re hopeful the Farmer’s Share can help illustrate that fact to the general public.”
Wheat farmers averaged a meager $0.03 on 12 dinner rolls that retail for $2.69.
Dairy producers received only $1.66 from a $4.59 gallon of milk.
And turkey growers, who raise the staple Thanksgiving dish, received just $0.06 per pound retailing at $1.49.
Johnson says that $0.06 figure, while striking on its own, is particularly shocking when considering the fact that poultry integrators received $0.62 per pound.
