The Hand that Feeds U.S.

September 16, 2009

The Hand that Feeds U.S. Puts a Face to the Farmer's Share

WASHINGTON (September 14, 2009)—The Hand that Feeds U.S. added an important feature to its website today that allows consumers to see the amount of money farmers and ranchers receive from everyday items they purchase in the grocery store, like cereal, bread, fruits, and vegetables.

The new feature, titled "Farmer's Share," comes to The Hand that Feeds U.S. courtesy of the National Farmers Union (NFU), who first created the resource and updates the data monthly.

"The ever-increasing cost of production has left many farmers struggling to make ends meet," said Roger Johnson, president of NFU. "The Farmer's Share allows consumers to see what percentage of the retail price actually goes back to the farmers themselves-I can imagine a lot of shoppers would find it hard to believe there's only 8 cents worth of wheat in a $3.99 box of cereal."

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The Incredible Shrinking Pie

Farmers have always known that they're on the short end of the food dollar. In fact, cultivators of the land only see about 19 cents out of every dollar Americans spend to buy the food they grow.

But a stat was thrown out during an August agricultural convention that even made the most grizzled farm veteran take notice.

Corn growers will only see about $175 out of an entire truckload of corn flakes-about 4,200 boxes worth-according to Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis.

"It costs more than $500 just to get the truckload of cereal to the store," he explained at the 26th International Sweetener Symposium in Park City, Utah.

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Finally, A Seat at the Table
by Jennifer James

The Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry last week named Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) its new chair, making her the first woman in the Committee’s history to take the helm.

Senator Lincoln herself was raised on a farm in Arkansas and growing up, she would scout rice levees right alongside her father, rain or shine. She understands the importance of agriculture to our country, and she understands the vital role women play in farming’s success—a role too often overlooked.

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