The American Farm Bureau Federation Market Basket Survey based on 176 volunteer shoppers determined that the cost for a family gathering of ten attained $70, on average, up 17 percent from July 4th 2021.  Ground beef for hamburgers was up 36 percent, boneless skinless chicken breasts by 33 percent and pork chops by 31 percent.  All other components of a typical July 4th cookout, including potato salad, ice cream, buns, and fruit, were up on average 10 percent.

The American Farm Bureau attributes the increases in costs to supply chain disruptions, and especially geopolitical events including the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation.

The approximately 30 percent increase for meat and poultry was considerably higher than the May Consumer Price Index for food at home as determined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  This would suggest higher retail margins imposed for the weekend events.