Food And Farm News
7-2-2025
California’s July 4 cookout costs higher than national average
Californians stocking up on groceries for Fourth of July holiday celebrations this week will pay comparatively steeper prices, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s annual marketbasket survey, which analyzed the cost of cookout staples such as ground beef, pork chops, hamburger buns and lemonade. The average Independence Day cookout for 10 guests in California will cost $90.06, nearly 27% higher than the national average of $70.92, the survey found. “Inflation and lower availability of some food items continue to keep prices stubbornly high,” AFBF Associate Economist Samantha Ayoub said. She noted that “high prices don’t mean more money for farmers,” who take home an average of just 15% of food retail revenue. Nationwide, the cost of a Fourth of July cookout remained almost unchanged from last year, with the average grocery bill for a party of 10 falling by 30 cents.
Dairy farms make strides in capturing biogas and reducing emissions
During the past five years, U.S. dairy farmers more than doubled the amount of methane they capture from manure and convert into biogas using anaerobic digesters, according to data released this week by the American Biogas Council. Overall biogas capture on dairies increased by 130%, generating enough renewable energy to power 615,000 homes per year, the council reported. “The great progress by our dairy farmers in trapping a waste gas and putting it to beneficial use is something all sAmericans can celebrate,” ABC Executive Director Patrick Serfass said. “Biogas systems help improve our food system by providing nutrient-rich, odor-free fertilizers, increasing farm sustainability, and helping to keep air and water clean in rural communities.”
California farmers partner with state to protect groundwater supplies
A pilot program launched in 2022 by the California Department of Water Resources to help farmers conserve groundwater supplies has succeeded in saving more than 100,000 acre-feet of groundwater and protecting more than 16,000 domestic wells, according to a report published last week by DWR. By providing $23 million in grants, the LandFlex program has enabled 52 farms to implement water conservation practices and develop infrastructure such as basins to recharge overdrafted aquifers. “The future of California is one where communities that are dependent on groundwater wells have reliable and safe drinking water, farms can stay in production with sustainable practices, and critical water infrastructure is protected from subsidence,” DWR Director Karla Nemeth said.
UC Davis launches wine label with batches made by students and faculty
For the first time, the University of California, Davis, is selling wines made by students, staff and faculty. The wine is made from grapes grown at research vineyards in Napa Valley and on campus in Davis. The launch of the Hilgard631 label was made possible by a 2021 state law. The label features wine varieties including chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon. The program gives students hands-on experience in chemistry, regulations, marketing and blending, with student winemakers labeling and bottling the wines themselves. “These wines represent our students, their knowledge, creativity and learning,” said Ben Montpetit, chair of the UC Davis Department of Viticulture and Enology. “From vine to bottle, our students are involved in every step.”
For more information about any story in Food and Farm News, contact the California Farm Bureau Marketing/Communications Division at 916-561-5550 or email news@cfbf.com. Connect with us on Facebook, X, or Instagram: @CAFarmBureau.
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