Beef Prices Skyrocket
U.S. Beef Prices Soar to Record Highs Amid Shrinking National Cattle Herds and Persistent Drought
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Ground beef now costs $6.75 per pound nationwide — and $7 per pound in the Midwest — after prices surged nearly 13% in just one year, according to OC Register. The cost of ground meat has hit all-time highs twice already this year, and experts say more records are coming.
The culprit is a shrinking U.S. cattle herd. The national cattle inventory has fallen for seven straight years and now sits at a 75-year low, Sun Sentinel reports. The number of beef cows is the lowest it has been since 1961.
U.S. Cattle Herd Hits a 75-Year Low
America simply has fewer cows. Total head of cattle, calves, and beef cows have dropped every year for the past seven years, according to News Herald. That steady decline has squeezed the supply of beef hitting grocery stores and restaurant kitchens nationwide.
The number of beef cows is now at its lowest point since 1961, Capital Gazette reports. Less supply means higher prices — a basic equation that is hitting consumers hard at the checkout line and the drive-through.
Drought and Disease Are Killing Off Herds
Agricultural specialists and cattle farmers point to severe drought as the biggest driver. The western and southwestern United States have faced persistent dry conditions for decades, Journal Advocate reports. Drought forces ranchers to sell off cattle early because there is not enough grass and water to sustain large herds.
Disease has added to the damage. Combined with drought, illness has pushed many cattle operations to reduce herd sizes faster than they can rebuild them, according to Citizens Voice. Rebuilding a cattle herd takes years, so relief will not come quickly.
Inflation and Labor Shortages Pile On the Pain
The cattle shortage alone does not explain all of the price surge. Broader inflation and a persistent labor shortage in meat processing plants have driven up costs at every step, from the ranch to the store shelf, Morning Journal reports.
Workers are harder to find and more expensive to keep. That raises the cost of slaughtering, processing, and packaging beef. Those costs get passed directly to shoppers, according to The Times-Tribune.
Higher Bills at Grocery Stores and Restaurants
The price jump is showing up everywhere consumers buy food. Grocery bills are climbing, and restaurants are raising menu prices to keep up, according to Press Enterprise. Shoppers in the Midwest are feeling the pinch hardest, already paying $7 per pound for ground beef.
Experts warn prices will likely break records again before the year is out. Rebuilding cattle herds takes multiple breeding cycles — often three to five years — so the supply crunch has no fast fix, EP Trail reports.
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