Iowa Farm Bureau Food and Farm Index® reports that regulations leading to food-cost hikes concern 8 in 10.

As consumers grapple with sky-high prices and inflation, the latest Iowa Farm Bureau Food and Farm Index® shows price is easily the most important factor for Iowa grocery shoppers when determining which meat, poultry and dairy products to purchase.  

Government regulations that increase food costs were another top concern among 81% of grocery shoppers, up 4% from last year’s survey and a 19% jump in three years. While other states have recently enacted mandates and production restrictions on agricultural goods leading to higher prices, more than 4 in 5 Iowa grocery shoppers (82%) think it’s important that farmers have the flexibility to use a variety of farming practices to provide them with different choices and price options at the grocery store.

“Flexibility is key,” says Iowa Farm Bureau President Brent Johnson. “We’re all feeling the pressure of ongoing high inflation, and the situation has only worsened with the patchwork of rules enacted by individual states that limits food production, accessibility and affordability.”

A recent U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) study shows retail prices for specific pork cuts in California have increased up to 40% due to state-dictated pork production practices.

“When individual states choose how farmers should grow and raise food, that significantly limits a farmer’s ability to provide a variety of affordable food choices and impacts consumers at the grocery store,” Johnson says.

Real meat vs. imitation meat

Enthusiasm for real meat and dairy continues to be strong among Iowans, with 99% of Iowa grocery shoppers’ families consuming meat/poultry and dairy of any kind at least weekly. 

While meat and dairy consumption is part of daily life for the majority of Iowa families, fewer than 1 in 10 households are very likely to purchase plant-based imitation meat instead of real meat or plant-based imitation milk instead of real dairy milk.

Additionally, grocery shoppers in Iowa more frequently say meat (94%) and milk (92%) from animals are healthier compared to plant-based alternatives, and according to nutrition experts, they are correct. 

The National Institutes of Health cites meat, eggs and dairy as natural sources of Vitamin B12, which promotes brain development in children and helps the human nervous system function properly, yet it is rarely found in plant foods. Real meat is also the primary source of zinc in Americans’ diets, which is integral to supporting the body’s immune system.  

Farmers are trusted

Trust and confidence in Iowa farmers have remained strong over more than a decade of polling with 93% of Iowa grocery shoppers saying they trust Iowa farmers in this year’s index. 

“The annual Iowa Farm Bureau Food and Farm Index® provides valuable insight into factors that influence food purchasing decisions for Iowa consumers and helps gauge sentiment toward agriculture and food production today,” says Johnson. “Earning the trust of Iowans when it comes to protecting the environment and caring for our animals is a source of great pride for farmers and something we take seriously.”

When making food purchase decisions, three-quarters of shoppers look to labels for information about how or where the food they’re buying was grown, raised or processed. Iowans say the labels that provide them the most information they are seeking are raised/grown by Iowa family farmers (33%), raised/grown/made locally (32%), and raised/grown/made in the U.S. (29%).

The annual survey, now in its 11th year, was conducted online by The Harris Poll from May 29-June 12, asking 515 Iowa adults, ages 20 to 60, with primary or shared household grocery shopping responsibilities about their purchasing habits and attitudes.