Dairy farmers struggle to cover expenses as American appetites change
CBSN
As the holiday season gets underway, Americans are preparing to spend big on baking ingredients. Butter consumption, for example, grew 16% last November and December compared to the rest of 2023, according to USDA data. On average, Americans consumed 6.5 pounds of butter last year, a number that's been on the rise.
Prices of staples like flour, sugar and milk have been steadily climbing for the past five years, as have the prices for many grocery items, according to the CBS News Price Tracker. Egg prices have skyrocketed 160% since 2019, due in part to shortages linked to several outbreaks of bird flu. Butter is more expensive by 29%, about in line with all grocery increases over the same period.
Yet the people who harvest the milk that goes into baking essentials say they don't always benefit from the price hikes.
