Missouri’s Blunt warns of increasing costs of Thanksgiving items like turkey, green beans and butter

Missouri’s senior senator is warning that this will be the most expensive Thanksgiving ever.

U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt (R) addressed the issue on the Senate floor, telling colleagues that the cost of turkeys have increased 18 percent from a year ago.

“Potatoes are 17 percent higher than they were a year ago. Green beans are 39 percent higher than they were a year ago. I don’t know if you’re beginning to see a pattern here or not, but there clearly is one,” Blunt says.

Blunt, who serves on the Senate Commerce Committee, says the cost of butter is 30 percent higher than a year ago. He also says inflation has increased six percent from a year ago, the highest increase in 30 years.

“So between the labor shortages, the high cost of raw materials, and more expensive transportation, the food supply chain is just about as messed up as the rest of the supply chain,” says Blunt.

He also says some shoppers are starting to see bare spaces on grocery store shelves.

Meantime, the state’s largest general farm organization is expected to release details about Thanksgiving food costs this morning. Missouri Farm Bureau releases a report before every Thanksgiving.