|
Farm Bureau celebrates Food Check-Out WeekKansas The cost of food in America remains affordable. According to the latest statistics compiled by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service, American families and individuals currently spend, on average, just under 10 percent of their disposable personal income for food. Applying that statistic to the calendar year means the average household will have earned enough disposable income--that portion of income available for spending or saving--to pay for its annual food supply in about 36 days, according to the Kansas Farm Bureau. In recognition of this, Kansas Farm Bureau is celebrating Feb. 3 to 9 as Food Check-Out Week. Not only is America's food supply the world's safest, but it's also the most affordable, said Ford County Farm Bureau. "The safe, abundant and affordable domestic food supply produced by America's farmers and ranchers is responsible, at least in part, for our nation's increasing standard of living." To mark the occasion Ford County Farm Bureau Association is donating approximately $350 of non-perishable food to the Manna House in Dodge City. State Representative Pat George and his family will be at Gene's Heartland Foods Feb. 2 at 10 a.m., to help gather the non-perishable food items. Laura Koehn director of the Manna House will also be on hand for this event. "Compared to food, Americans work longer each year to pay for their housing, federal taxes and medical care," Farm Bureau said. According to the Tax Foundation, Americans must work 52 days each year to pay for health and medical care, 62 days to pay for housing/household operation and 77 days to pay their federal taxes. Ford County Farm Bureau says the affordable, high-quality food we enjoy as consumers is a product of our successful food production and distribution system, as well as America's farmers and ranchers continued access to effective and affordable crop protection tools. This week should hold meaning for most Americans. Although we are concerned that some Americans cannot afford to buy the food they need, we are proud of the role Kansas farmers play in producing the most affordable food in the world. The percent of disposable personal income spent for food has declined over the last 35 years. In 1970, it took Americans 15 more days to earn enough income to pay for their food supply for the year. According to USDA, food is more affordable today due to a widening gap between growth in per-capita incomes and the amount of money spent for food. This overall decrease is made more notable by trends indicating Americans are buying more expensive convenience foods, as well as more food away from home. Food Check-Out Day tracks the amount of income needed by Americans to purchase food on an annual basis. Despite a few fluctuations over the past few years, food prices have remained relatively stable over time. 2/4/08 Date: 1/31/08 Advertisement
Copyright/Privacy
Copyright 1995-2009. High Plains Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. Any republishing of these pages, including electronic reproduction of the editorial archives or classified advertising, is strictly prohibited. If you have questions or comments you can reach us at High Plains Journal 1500 E. Wyatt Earp Blvd., P.O. Box 760, Dodge City, KS 67801 or call 1-800-452-7171. Email: webmaster@hpj.com |
Market Snapshot Inside Futures |