Vilsack on Thanksgiving dinner supply and demand
The U.S. Department of Agriculture today released the following statement on the average retail cost of Thanksgiving dinner staples:
“This holiday season we have so many things to be thankful for, chief among them our farmers and producers who are putting the food on our plates and the ability to spend time with loved ones, which we could not do last year.
We know that even small price increases can make a difference for family budgets, and we are taking every step we can to mitigate that. The good news is that the top turkey producers in the country are confident that everyone who wants a bird for their Thanksgiving dinner will be able to get one, and a large one will only cost $1 dollar more than last year,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.
“That’s why the President has been so focused on creating millions of jobs, getting wages up, and getting tax cuts to working families. But let’s not forget the headlines and reality of Thanksgiving last year: 26 million people didn’t have enough food to eat while others were concerned about losing their homes.”
Below are the average retail cost of Thanksgiving staples, based on AMS Market News Retail Reports for the week ending on 11/12/2021:
- Frozen Turkey Hen (12 lbs.) - $0.88 cents per pound
- Sweet Potatoes - $0.83 cents per pound
- Russet Potatoes - $0.90 cents per pound
- Cranberries - $2.22 per 12 oz. bag
- Green beans - $1.64 per pound
- Milk (1 gallon) - $3.75 per gallon
Overall, this represents a 5.0% increase over last year for these selected items combined.
