Behind the Grocery Bill
As America’s farmers head into another demanding season, the numbers tell a story that may surprise you.
Behind every trip to the grocery store, the people who grow our food are seeing less and less of each dollar spent. New data from the American Farm Bureau Federation show that in 2024, farmers received just 5.8 cents of every food dollar after expenses, down from 5.9 cents the year before.
Crop farmers were hit especially hard, with their share dropping from 2.9 to 2.5 cents. Lower crop prices and rising costs like fuel and fertilizer are making it harder to stay afloat.
Most of the food dollar never makes it back to the farm. It goes to processing, transportation, retail and food service. As the report explains, “Less than 6 cents of total value added occurs at the farm level, while the marketing bill continues to expand.”
For farmers, even small swings in prices or expenses can make a big difference.
You can read the full Market Intel report at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s website: WWW.FB.ORG
