02/07/08 Food Checkout Week

This is Food Checkout Week in America. According to the most recent research from the US Department of Agriculture American families and individuals spend on average 9.9 percent of their disposable income on food. Applying that statistic to the calendar year means this is the week that the average US household will have earned enough money after taxes to pay for their annual food supply. Texas Ag Commissioner Todd Staples says that paying the year's food bill in five weeks is pretty remarkable. STAPLES "In China it takes until about the first week of April to pay for their yearly supply and it takes until sometime in late July for the average resident of Indonesia to earn enough income to pay for their food for the year." The USDA statistics included food and non-alcoholic beverages consumed at home and away from home and included purchases at grocery stores and other retail outlets including food stamp purchases and vouchers for the Women, Infants and Children's program. STAPLES "USDA says that back in 1980 we were spending about 13 percent." According to the Tax Foundation Americans work 77 days a year to pay their federal taxes, 62 days to pay for housing or household operations, 52 days for health and medical care but only 37 to pay for their food, something we should all keep in mind this Food Checkout Week. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott