Farmers are receiving a shrinking share of what consumers spend on food. According to USDA data, farmers received just 5.8 cents of every dollar spent on domestically produced food in 2024. The remaining 94.2 cents went toward processing, transportation, packaging, retail and other costs. American Farm Bureau Federation analysis also shows consumers paid seven percent more for beef while cattle producers received prices that were down ten percent. Farm Bureau says farmers continue to face higher production costs while having little control over the prices they receive.
