This year’s Fourth of July celebrations are expected to incur increased costs for Americans due to high levels of inflation under President Biden’s administration. According to a report from the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), the cost of a typical 10-person cookout, which includes items like cheeseburgers, chicken breasts, pork chops, potato salad, strawberries, and ice cream, will amount to $71.22. This marks a 5% increase from last year and a nearly 30% surge from five years ago, making it a record high for the AFBF’s annual survey.
Prices for individual goods have increased substantially nationwide, with several items experiencing “year-to-year double-digit increases.” For example, two pounds of ground beef now average $12.77, an 11% escalation from the previous year. Likewise, a half-gallon of ice cream costs $5.65, up by 7%. Meanwhile, the cost of lemonade and both pork chops and potato chips have risen by 12% and 8%, respectively.
If we compare these costs with 2021 data, it reveals that the cost of the same cookout during Biden’s first year in office was $59.55. This indicates that under the Biden administration’s challenging inflation, the bill has risen by $11.67. AFBF Chief Economist Roger Cryan commented, “Higher grocery prices reflect the many challenges affecting American families. Shortages of certain cookout essentials combined with inflation are hitting hard on household budgets.”
The AFBF’s report dovetails with a recent Gallup poll, which reveals that only 38% of voters feel confident that President Biden can handle the economy effectively. Meanwhile, concern about skyrocketing prices remains pervasive, with American’s faith in Biden’s economic judgment at a historical low for any president since 2001.
It’s worth mentioning that Monroe Harless, who is a summer intern at The Federalist, authored this article on increasing inflation and its impacts on Fourth of July cookouts. She is a graduate of the University of Georgia, where she double-majored in journalism and political science.
