Just Like Gas, The Price For California Cookouts Rise Above The National Average

Californians planning a Fourth of July cookout will face steeper grocery bills this year, according to an American Farm Bureau Federation market basket survey. A typical holiday meal for 10 guests in California will cost $90.06, according to the survey. That’s nearly 27% higher than the national average of $70.92 and above the Western regional average of $73.50. Higher costs for cookout staples — like ground beef ($14.33 vs. $13.33 nationally), chicken breasts ($12.48 vs. $7.79), and pork chops ($19.30 vs. $14.13) — contribute to the elevated total. Even strawberries and ice cream cost about $2 more than national averages. Despite high food prices, farmers receive only 15% of the retail food dollar, said farm bureau economist Samantha Ayoub. California Farm Bureau President Shannon Douglass points to the rising cost of labor and distribution. “For generations, farmers and ranchers have served as the backbone of California’s economy and a pillar of America’s food independence, producing a majority of the country’s fresh fruits, nuts and vegetables,” Douglass said. Over a third of the country’s vegetables and over three-quarters of the country’s fruits and nuts are grown in California, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture.