American Motion Discussion board President Doug Holtz-Eakin weighs in on quick meals costs outpacing wages and the Fed’s trajectory for controlling inflation.
Fourth of July barbecue prices stay close to document highs as inflation and lowered availability of sure meals objects preserve costs “stubbornly excessive,” in accordance with the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF).
Households cooking for the vacation for 10 visitors this yr ought to anticipate to pay about $70.92, which is simply 30 cents much less from final yr’s record-high price, in accordance with the 2025 American Farm Bureau Federation annual marketbasket survey.
Damaged down, that is about $7.09 per individual, that means this yr would be the second-highest price because the AFBF started the survey in 2013.
Households cooking for the vacation for 10 visitors this yr ought to anticipate to pay about $70.92, which is simply 30 cents much less from final yr’s record-high price.–>
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The AFBF’s record contains vacation staples equivalent to cheeseburgers, hen breasts, pork chops, do-it-yourself potato salad, strawberries and ice cream, providing a snapshot of costs households are going through this summer season.
Nevertheless, the group mentioned that the upper prices don’t imply more cash for farmers.
“Farmers are value takers, not value makers,” AFBF affiliate economist Samantha Ayoub mentioned, including that their share of the meals retail greenback is simply 15%. “The price of operating their farm is up, from labor and transportation, to taxes,” she added.

The AFBF’s record contains vacation staples equivalent to cheeseburgers, hen breasts, pork chops, do-it-yourself potato salad, strawberries and ice cream. (Ben Hasty/MediaNews Group/Studying Eagle by way of Getty Photographs / Getty Photographs)
Particularly, costs rose for beef, potato salad and canned pork and beans, whereas the price of pork chops, chips and hamburger buns fell.
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A number of elements, together with tariffs and tight cattle provides, have helped drive the retail value of two kilos of floor beef up 4.4% to $13.33, the price of pork and beans up 20 cents to $2.69 and potato salad up 6.6% to $3.54, in accordance with knowledge from the AFBF.
Metal and aluminum tariffs have impacted the price of canned items, whereas the persisting scarcity of cattle has tightened provides and elevated meat prices. The price of eggs, though a lot decrease than the document highs earlier this yr, continues to be elevated, as egg-laying hen populations proceed to recuperate from extremely pathogenic avian influenza, in any other case generally known as chicken flu.

The price of eggs continues to be elevated, as egg-laying hen populations proceed to recuperate from chicken flu outbreaks. (Luis Boza/NurPhoto by way of Getty Photographs / Getty Photographs)
Pork provides are up, which is pushing pork costs down and the “demand for potatoes has eased,” which aided within the discount of chip costs. Moreover, wheat costs are nonetheless a lot decrease than document highs of three years in the past, contributing to the slight lower in the price of buns.
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The AFBF is advocating for Congress to go “a brand new, modernized five-year farm invoice” that features threat administration instruments for farmers, entry to diet for low-income households, conservation packages and investments in agricultural analysis to assist farmers contending with tax, labor and provide points in addition to outdated infrastructure in rural communities.

Costs of beef, potato salad, and canned pork and beans are greater. (Reuters/Jose Luis Gonzalez / Reuters Images)
“Farmers are devoted to doing the correct factor, and their dedication to sustainable and modern farming practices ensures a secure and considerable meals provide for each household in America. Farmers and ranchers obtain this, partly, by means of analysis, conservation and farm security web packages which might be made doable by means of a powerful farm invoice,” AFBF President Zippy Duvall mentioned.
The American Farm Bureau Federation’s record of frequent barbecue staples and their value variations from a yr in the past:
- 2 kilos of floor beef, $13.33 (+4.4%)
- 2 kilos of hen breasts, $7.79 (-0.5%)
- 3 kilos of pork chops, $14.13 (-8.8%)
- 1 pound of cheese, $3.54 (-0.9%)
- 1 package deal of hamburger buns, $2.35 (-2.6%)
- 2 ½ kilos of do-it-yourself potato salad, $3.54 (+6.6%)
- 32 ounces of pork and beans, $2.69 (+8.2%)
- 16-ounce bag of potato chips, $4.80 (-2.1%)
- 13-ounce package deal of chocolate chip cookies, $4.00 (+0.3%)
- ½ gallon of ice cream, $5.69 (+0.7%)
- 2 pints of strawberries, $4.69 (+1.7%)
- 2 ½ quarts of lemonade, $4.37 (+4.2%)