On Independence Day, Family Farmers and Consumers Still Fight for Fairness in the Food System

As Americans fire up their grill this Independence Day, National Farmers Union highlights how little independence family farmers have in the marketplace. The “Farmer’s Share of the Food Dollar”, released June 30, is a periodical report highlighting how little family farmers earn compared to how much consumers pay at the grocery store.

“As we celebrate the Fourth of July, a day that symbolizes freedom, fairness, and opportunity, we must also shine a light on the growing imbalance in our food system,” said NFU President Rob Larew. “Family farmers and ranchers are working harder than ever, yet taking home less, while corporate monopolies in processing, distribution, and retail rake in record profits. Farmers deserve a fair share of the food dollar, and consumers deserve a food system that works for everyone, not just a handful of powerful corporations.”

Family farmers receive only a small fraction of popular Independence Day foods – an average as low as 16.3% for a $30 shopping cart according to the recent Farmer’s Share report.  

It is more important than ever to promote Fairness for Farmers and consumers to address the monopoly crisis in food and agriculture as farmers face increasing uncertainty. Trade wars, low commodity prices, high input costs and the lack of a five-year farm bill are all adding strain to our family farmers and ranchers.

NFU’s Fairness for Farmers campaign is actively addressing the monopoly crisis in food and agriculture. By advocating for stronger antitrust enforcement and greater transparency, the campaign aims to increase the farmer’s share of the food dollar and ensure fairness for both farmers and consumers. 

Data for this publication were sourced from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service and other industry sources.