Farm Bureau: Thanksgiving Dinner Cost Up 20%

Farm Bureau's 37th annual survey reveals the average cost of this year's classic Thanksgiving feast for 10 is $64.05, less than $6.50 per person. This is a $10.74 or 20% increase from last year's average of $53.31.

The centerpiece on most Thanksgiving tables – the turkey – costs more than last year, at $28.96 for a 16-pound bird. That's $1.81 per pound, up 21% from last year, due to several factors beyond general inflation. Farm Bureau "volunteer shoppers" checked prices Oct. 18-31, before most grocery store chains... 

Pure Praire Farms™ to Receive $6.9 Million Dollar Grant

This week, government officials announced that Charles City Iowa-based premium chicken integrator, Pure Prairie Farms Inc., is set to receive a $6.9 million dollar grant as part United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program (MPPEP). The program was launched in 2021 in response to supply chain disruptions in recent years for meat and poultry products during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to USDA, the program is "to encourage competition and sustainable growth in the U.S. meat processing sector, and to help improve..."

NRF Says Economy ‘Being Rebalanced’ but ‘Extreme Cooling Off’ Seems Unlikely

The Federal Reserve faces “a tricky job” in addressing inflation but continuing growth in employment, wages and consumer spending make it unlikely the effort will backfire into a major setback for the economy, National Retail Federation Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz said today.

“With changes underway that focus on taming inflation without splintering the economy, the nation’s economic system is in the process of being rebalanced in ways that are testing its resilience,” Kleinhenz said. “This is an extraordinary period with unprecedented factors that include inflation at a..."

Commercial Traffic Delays Along Texas Border and the Resulting Supply Chain Disruptions

Trucks are facing lengthy delays along the Texas-Mexico border, with wait times at some border crossings exceeding five hours and commercial traffic dropping by as much as 60 percent. The longer than average wait times – and the subsequent supply chain disruptions – are unrelated to CBP screening activities and are due to additional and unnecessary inspections being conducted by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) at the order of the Governor of Texas.

Local trade associations, officials, and businesses are requesting the Texas state government discontinue their...

Kroger Dallas Division Launches Restaurant Supply

Kroger's Dallas Division is making it simpler for local restaurants to keep their customer-favorite items on the menu. Known for providing the freshest food at a great value, the grocer is launching Kroger Restaurant Supply, exclusively in Greater Dallas today.

Kroger Restaurant Supply offers an alternative to ordering in large quantities that have highly variable pricing and require deliveries on a set schedule. This service offers competitive wholesale pricing, opportunities to purchase items by the case or unit and seven-day-a-week delivery.

"Supply chain bottlenecks are impacting nearly every restaurant across..."

NRF Stresses Urgency with West Coast Port Contract Negotiations

To avoid additional supply chain disruptions, the National Retail Federation is encouraging the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) to begin contract negotiations well before the June 30 contract expiration.

“Imports at the nation’s major West Coast ports reached unprecedented levels over the past two years despite supply chain disruptions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “We applaud the work of labor and management to address this surge, but we need to make sure the contract negotiations..."

NRF Statement on Senate Introduction of Ocean Shipping Reform Act

The National Retail Federation today issued the following statement from Senior Vice President of Government Relations David French after the Ocean Shipping Reform Act (OSRA) of 2021 was introduced in the Senate. The bipartisan legislation is sponsored by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and John Thune (R-SD) and would modernize the international maritime transportation system.

“The sustained supply chain challenges, exacerbated by increased consumer demand during the coronavirus pandemic, have continued to impact the daily operations of retailers and the greater business community. For nearly two decades the..."