$75.50 is the average cost of a Wisconsin July 4 cookout for 10 people in 2026, up from $69.03 last year and the highest since the state survey began in 2013.
Ground beef led the increase, climbing 23% to $7.30 a pound, while strawberries and ice cream each rose about 25%, pushing Wisconsin above the national average for the first time in several years.
Higher fuel and fertilizer costs are feeding through to grocery prices, and tight cattle supplies alongside strong beef demand are expected to keep meat prices elevated for several more years.
Nationally, the American Farm Bureau put the same holiday meal at $73.82, up 4%, with potato salad and chips among the few items that got cheaper.