Rising input prices ripple across food chain

Every holiday season we tell consumers they should be thankful for an abundant and affordable food supply. It has almost become a seasonal slogan, a gentle reminder that in the United States food remains relatively accessible and less expensive than in many parts of the world.

Yet what often goes unacknowledged is how strongly American consumers have come to expect low food prices. For many, affordability feels like a given, not the result of decades of investment, innovation, risk and hard work by farmers and ranchers.

The long days, unpredictable weather, volatile markets and rising input costs rarely factor into conversations at the grocery store or the checkout line.

Much of today’s public discussion centers on sustainability. Consumers, policymakers and advocacy groups insist U.S. farms and ranches must be sustainable — and they are right. Farmers want that, too.

But true sustainability is more than a buzzword; it requires operations that endure both environmentally and economically. A farm cannot protect the land, conserve water, or maintain healthy soil if it cannot remain financially viable over the long term.

This year, a traditional holiday meal for 10 is projected to cost about $55.18, roughly $5.52 per person, according to the 2025 American Farm Bureau Federation survey. A 16-pound frozen turkey averages $21.50, down more than 16% from 2024.

These numbers are often highlighted as proof that Thanksgiving remains reasonably priced. Yet behind those lower retail prices are complex pressures for producers.

Many farmers are navigating lower commodity prices while facing persistently high costs for fuel, fertilizer, machinery, insurance, feed and labor. Margins in some sectors are tighter than they were even during peak inflation.

Cheaper holiday staples — turkey, potatoes, dairy products and vegetables — often reflect lower payments to producers rather than improvements in efficiency or abundance.

Looking at longer-term trends underscores the imbalance. From 2000 to 2025, a pound of butter increased by roughly 26%, milk prices rose about 41%, diesel fuel over 165% and the average price of a new vehicle about 146%. Farm machinery like combines has increased even more dramatically.

In short, food may feel affordable at the grocery store, but the cost of producing it continues to rise, placing significant pressure on farmers and ranchers.

The takeaway? Sustainable agriculture depends on fair returns for the people who grow, raise and harvest the food. Celebrating low prices is understandable, but affordability should not come at the expense of producers’ livelihoods.

True sustainability isn’t just about what lands on our tables — it’s about ensuring that farms and ranches remain viable, resilient and capable of feeding communities for generations to come.

Every meal carries more than flavor and tradition. It reflects the dedication, skill and sacrifice of the people who make it possible.

Supporting those farmers and ranchers is not just an economic choice. It’s a commitment to the sustainability and resilience of the entire food system.

Thank you, farmers, farm families and all who work in agriculture for what you do every day to put food on the tables of so many who do not — and probably never will — know your name.