Survey finds food prices stay steady

While the cost of gas continues to fluctuate widely, an American Farm Bureau survey shows food prices have settled down. Iowa Farm Bureau spokesman Aaron Putze says the latest survey covers the second quarter of this year. He says the price for 16 basic food items was thirty-six-dollars and four cents, just two cents higher than the first quarter average of a year ago, which he says shows prices are remaining stable. The overall average cost of the items in the second quarter dropped two cents when compared with the first quarter survey. Bacon and pork chops each saw a jump of 13 cents — for the biggest change. Putze says meat prices have tended to trend a little higher recently, mirroring an increase in cost of livestock at the farm gate. Putze says the small change in prices speaks well for the U.S. food supply. He says Americans enjoy a safe food supply with excellent quality, and among the most affordable worldwide. He says all the work done “from the field to the plate” is an enormous value to consumers. Putze says farmers usually receive about 20 cents of every dollar a consumer pays for food.He says when you look at the money spent on the 16 food items, the farmer’s share would be about seven dollars and 20 cents. Putze says the average cost for the 16 items in the first Farm Bureau survey nearly 14 years ago was 28-dollars-and-50-cents, so the cost has gone up just seven dollars-and-fifty-four-cents.