The average price to feed 10 people at an Independence Day cookout this year is $70.92, according to an annual survey from the American Farm Bureau Federation. That is down 30 cents from last year’s record high of $71.22.
The agriculture industry group's survey collects information from volunteer shoppers across the country and focuses on July Fourth cookout staples such as ingredients for hamburgers, potato salad, ice cream and lemonade. The 0.4% decrease compares favorably to the consumer price index's broader measure of the price of food at home, which increased 2.2% in May from a year earlier.
The Farm Bureau survey shows a handful of small increases in price balanced out by a lesser number of heavy decreases.
The largest notable increase is in the price of ground beef, which is up 4.4% from last year at $13.33 for two pounds. This comes as demand for beef has remained high and U.S. cattle hits its lowest level since 1951, Harvest Public Media reported.
The price of canned pork and beans is up 8.2% from last year, to an average of $2.69 for 32 ounces. Potato salad saw the second-highest increase at 6.6%, running consumers $3.54 for two and a half pounds. These increases come after tariffs on steel and aluminum have increased the cost of canning, and as egg prices recover from the effects of avian influenza.
Pork chops now cost an average of $14.13 for three pounds, down 8.8% from last year, as the supply of pork products in stores increases, according to the Farm Bureau. Demand for potatoes has also decreased, dropping the price of a 16-ounce bag of potato chips by 2.1% to $4.80. Prices for cheese and hamburger buns also saw slight decreases.
Items that saw slightly increased prices in the cookout survey include chocolate chip cookies, ice cream, strawberries and lemonade.
