[Agriculture Fact Book 98]

1.    U.S. Agriculture--Linking Consumers and Producers

Food Expenditures and Prices

Total food expenditures, which include imports, fishery products, and domestically grown food, reached $709.2 billion in 1997, an increase of 2.6 percent from 1996. Away-from-home meals and snacks captured 46 percent of the U.S. food dollar in 1997, up from 38 percent in 1977 and 44 percent in 1987.

The percentage of disposable personal income (income after taxes) that U.S. consumers spend on food continues to decline. In 1996, U.S. consumers spent 10.7 percent of their disposable personal income on food, compared to 11.6 percent in 1990, 13.4 percent in 1980, and 13.8 percent in 1970.

In the United States, retail food prices (including meals served in restaurants) rose 38.6 percent over the last 10 years (1987-97). Prices of food eaten away from home increased 34.2 percent, while retail foodstore prices increased 41.3 percent. In comparison, prices of all goods and services, excluding food, in the Consumer Price Index climbed 41.8 percent over the same 10 years. Transportation was up 36.9 percent; housing 37.3 percent; medical care 80.3 percent; and apparel and upkeep 20.2 percent.

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