Thanksgiving meal costs drop 2% in Wisconsin
The price of a traditional Thanksgiving meal in Wisconsin is 2.1% less this year according to Wisconsin Farm Bureau’s annual Marketbasket survey that rang in at $57.61.
“Wisconsin agricultural production and food processing have increased 10.9 percent in recent years,” said WFBF Senior Director of Public Relations Cassie Sonnentag. “The abundance and diversity of agriculture in Wisconsin continues to be reflected in Wisconsin’s Marketbasket survey results.'
The Marketbasket survey looks at the price of popular food items used to prepare a Thanksgiving meal sufficient to serve 10 people. This survey allows for Wisconsin food prices to be compared with food prices from across the country. Comparatively, the American Farm Bureau Federation’s survey of the same items showed a 5% decrease from 2023 with prices nationally at $58.08.
Wisconsin’s Thanksgiving Marketbasket survey is an informal, annual review of food price trends in relation to changing farm prices, weather and wholesale and retail food marketing. Wisconsin Farm Bureau members collected price samples of 15 Thanksgiving food items in November.
Farm Bureau volunteer shoppers were asked to look for the best prices, without taking advantage of special promotional coupons or purchase deals.
This is the second year in a row, shoppers are seeing a decline in Thanksgiving meal costs both in Wisconsin and nationally. However, the moderate decline does not erase dramatic price increases experienced in 2022, when both state and national surveys reached record highs.
“Despite food price fluctuations, the farmer’s share of the food dollar remains at 15.9 cents per dollar,” said Sonnentag. “At the end of the day, farmers continue to feel the strain of increased input costs; they are price takers, not price makers.”
“While shoppers can appreciate a lower grocery bill, a modernized farm bill to safeguard those prices and support farmers is long overdue,” said WFBF Director of National Affairs Tyler Wenzlaff.
The impact of the farm bill reaches far beyond the fields, playing a crucial role in protecting the nation’s food supply by ensuring access to nutrition for those in need, advancing conservation efforts and driving innovation through research. For farmers, it’s a vital safety net— helping them weather unpredictable challenges like natural disasters, soaring input costs and inflationary pressures, all of which threaten their ability to produce the food we rely on.
Recent disruptions to the food supply chain, amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic, have underscored the urgent need for a farm bill that addresses the realities farmers face today.
“In the United States, 84% of adults agree it’s a matter of national security to maintain a safe and abundant food supply,” said Wenzlaff. “Both farmers and consumers deserve a forward-looking, five-year farm bill, and it’s time for Congress to prioritize this essential legislation.”
