In a press briefing on November 20, 2023, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated “…, according to the American Farm Bureau, the cost of a Thanksgiving dinner fell this year.” While this fact, in itself, may be true, this is not the whole story. The American Farm Bureau did, in fact, report that the 2023 meal was down 4.5 percent from 2022; however, it was up 25 percent from 2019 and 15 percent higher than the same meal in 2021.

The Farm Bureau went on to explain the 2023 decrease in cost was “more appropriately attributed to turkey supply.” Because there were fewer cases of “bird flu” in 2023 than in 2022 there were more turkeys on the market, thus dropping the cost of turkey this year over last. Thus the reduction in cost for your holiday turkey has nothing to do with “Bidenomics.”

To further the report, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported that less than 15 cents of every dollar spent on food in the U.S. goes to a farmer. Farm income for 2023 is estimated to drop 23 percent. So, don’t believe everything you hear, do your research, and note that in contrast to the White House’s message, President Biden’s economic policies are not bringing relief to American families. The receipts for your groceries, your car repair, your Christmas gifts ARE reality and those costs have only gone up. It is time to consider how this economic trajectory can be changed by your vote in 2024.