Cooking a Thanksgiving dinner for your friends and family will cost less than last year, marking the third straight year of price declines. The American Farm Bureau Federation’s 40th annual Thanksgiving dinner survey provides a snapshot of the average cost of Thanksgiving staples that make up a classic holiday feast for 10, which is $55.18 or about $5.52 per person. This is a five percent decrease from 2024. Three years of declines don’t fully erase dramatic increases that led to a record-high cost of $64.05 in 2022.
National Farmers Union released the annual Thanksgiving Edition of the “Farmer’s Share of the Food Dollar,” revealing stark inequities in America’s food system. Farmers continue to receive only pennies on the dollar for foods typically consumed for Thanksgiving dinner despite high grocery prices. Farmers earn small returns on staple Thanksgiving foods according to this year’s Thanksgiving Farmer’s Share report. The agricultural economy is fragile and uncompetitive after decades of corporate consolidation. Monopolies now dominate everything from food processing and distribution to the markets for seeds and farm equipment, leaving family farmers at a steep disadvantage while consumers face fewer choices and higher prices.
The Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau (CIRB) warmly invites you to the 2026 CIRB Annual Meeting in Indian Wells, CA, on February 4-6, 2026, at the Renaissance Esmerelda Resort & Spa. Click here to register.
The steering committee for the Agriculture Workforce Coalition (AWC), a broad-based coalition of ag groups seeking meaningful, long-term labor reform, unanimously elected American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall and Western Growers President & CEO Dave Puglia as the new Co-Chairs of the coalition.
Delegates assembled at the 159th National Grange Convention elected Christine Hamp to her second term as President of the nation’s oldest fraternal rural advocacy and service organization. Hamp was first elected in 2023 in Niagara Falls.
The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture along with 15 members of an International Year of the Woman Farmer working group launched an information hub dedicated to celebrating and advancing women in agriculture. The site debuted Oct. 15, the International Day of Rural Women, to highlight and connect efforts supporting women in agriculture worldwide.
Wood Hat Spirits of New Florence, Mo., earned top honors at the 2025 Heartland Whiskey Competition, claiming both the Farmer-Distiller: Best Bourbon award and Best in State for Missouri. The distillery’s Queen’s Reserve tied for the top farmer-distilled bourbon in the nation, a first-time distinction for Missouri, while continuing its streak as the state’s best craft whiskey. The biennial competition, sanctioned by the American Craft Spirits Association (ACSA) and sponsored in part by the Missouri Corn Merchandising Council (MCMC), drew entries from all 50 states. Open exclusively to craft whiskeys featuring corn in their mash, the event highlights the vital role this grain plays in crafting premium American spirits and creating value-added markets for one of Missouri’s top crops. A complete list of winners and sponsoring corn states can be found on the Heartland Whiskey Competition website or the ACSA website.
The National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC) announced that Alison Foster has been promoted to Manager, Government Affairs & Operations. In this role, Foster will work with other government relations team staff on key policy issues impacting farmer co-ops and the farmer-owners. She will continue to assist in the planning and preparation for yearly conferences, meetings, and fly-ins, coordinate with staff to meet organizational objectives, and carry out NCFC’s member driven mission.
The American Farm Bureau Federation announced the next recipient of an award that recognizes veterans or service members for excellence in farming or agriculture and positively impacting local communities. Retired Army Command Sgt. Maj. Matthew Rutter of South Carolina is the second recipient of the Veteran Farmer Award of Excellence presented by AFBF with support from Farm Credit. Rutter served 22 years in the Army, where his service included leading intelligence operations across Europe and the Middle East.
Alltech as announced the Alltech ONE Conference is coming back to Lexington, Kentucky, May 24–26, 2027. Originally planned for 2026, Alltech has decided to move the event to 2027 to align with major company milestones and the broader agri-food industry.
