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Small Farmers Receive Little of What's Spent on Thanksgiving Dinner, Farmers Union Says

Photo: vxla / Flickr
Photo: vxla / Flickr

by Jo Ingles

A coalition made of up mostly of smaller family farmers says farmers receive only 19 cents of every dollar Ohioans spend on their Thanksgiving meals this year. 

Ron Sylvester with the Ohio Farmers Union said figures from the U.S. Department of Agriculture show turkey farmers get 93 cents on every pound of turkey that retails for $1.78 a pound. But other farmers get far less from the products they produce – such as wheat farmers.

“Twelve dinner rolls are going to be about $3.00 at the grocery store,” Sylverster said. “The farmer’s share of that is six cents. For 15 ounces of stuffing, you are going to pay about $3.40. The farmer’s share of that is seven cents.”

He said corn farmers only get three cents from a 69 cent can of corn. Sylvester said most of the retail cost of food is due to marketing, processing, wholesale, distribution and retailing.