Is It Just Me?

[RiversideSm0ker]

What’s with the inflated meat prices? I know I am in So Cal but dang the prices of everything except chicken has tripled or quadrupled in the last couple of weeks. I’m not sure if this is due to these hackers jacking with our country or something else entirely. Anyone have any clue?

G

 

[Dirty Steve]

The meat prices have definitely gone up. I just started smoking in January and have been paying attention to the prices of meats. Pork and chicken are still good. My wife’s birthday was last weekend and she wanted the boneless short ribs from Costco. I couldn’t believe the price. As to why. Supply and demand? Inflation?

 

[chef jimmyj]

Inflation and higher Fuel Prices raises transportation costs. This effects Feed Cost, fuel for Feed Harvesting Equipment, higher energy costs for Processing, a lack of trained workers because of high extended Unemployment Benefits allowing people to not have to work. The result, Processing Facilities are under staffed so lower production, same or higher demand as BBQ Season gets underway, the list goes on. The country is in a Sad State of Affairs not seen in recent years..JJ

 

[pineywoods]

As Jimmy said fuel prices is a big part of it along with problems getting people to work when they can make more on unemployment. It amazes me what all they claim they use some type of oil to make the product with.
Some of us were just talking about this in chat in the last couple nights. I bought pork butts "on sale" for .99 cents a lb 3 weeks or a month ago a few days ago I saw them "on sale" for 2.99 a lb that's crazy. Seems everything except chicken has gone crazy around here.
It's not just food try buying lumber that will about make you cry. A couple days ago I bought some 2x6x16 PT boards the salesman told me lumber prices are coming down they were $23.86 each. I've put off several construction projects around here because of the high cost of lumber. I have a hard time paying about quadruple for a piece of lumber. To make that even worse in my opinion is the man growing the tree isn't making any more than he was in some cases he's getting less so who's ripping us off I doubt it's the logger cutting the trees and taking them to the mill.

 

[forktender]

It's the mills controlling the prices out here. Meat prices went nuts after the F'n Russians hacked the meat processing plants, then add high fuel costs and having to pay meat cutters almost twice what they were making pre Whoo Tang Flu.

 

[Chasdev]

Hobbies can get spendy, this one sure has.
I have a deep freeze full of smoked brisket slices, enough to last all summer.
Good thing, it's going to be too hot to exit the A/C in about .01 seconds anyway,

 

[smokin peachey]

Look at grain prices last year vs this year. Look at diesel prices last year bs this year. Obviously meat and all other things will cost more. I don’t think the meat company hack has much to do with it. Corn is almost double last year and fuel is up probably 30%. The farmers and ranchers aren’t getting rich either all there input cost are up. Sorry folks the future doesn’t look good. I feel bad for those on fixed income. Love him or hate him Trum* did have things headed in a better direction.

 

[mike243]

Going to put a bunch of game in the freezers this year, going to break out the xbow from retirement

 

[Gonna Smoke]

Inflation and the "FREE" money that the government is giving out is creating or has created the perfect storm.

-Companies can't find workers, because of the "FREE" money they make more sitting at home. Hopefully this is all about to come to a screeching halt. Anyway, companies that are able to hire are having to pay a lot more in wages which affects their bottom line. They can't absorb those costs so they get passed on to the consumer. I feel sure that companies also add in a little extra to the cost for additional profit, got to make hay while the sun shines, but that's just my opinion.

-Those unwilling to work now find themselves flush with extra money(money that they didn't earn) and time. So they're cooking/cooking out more, eating out more which increases demand on the food and cooking items we use. That increases the supply demand from the companies producing our cooking products. The same companies that can't find willing workers to meet those demands because of the "FREE" money.

-As for lumber, I think the increase in prices is a result of lumber mills shutting down last year for pandemic and production supposedly hasn't ramped back up enough to keep up with increased demand. I find that odd because I have seen more timber cut down in the last 6 months than I have ever seen before in the same time span, so it's hard for me to believe that there is a lumber shortage, but maybe there is. But with inflation, people will stop or slow way down on spending and when inventory starts piling up at, prices WILL come back down. How long that will take is anybody's guess. Also got to remember that the forest products industry took a major beating in 2008 when our economy tanked. Maybe they're trying to make up for some of that?

-Beef prices are through the roof because of all of this, pork not so much. Butts and boneless loins are on sale every week somewhere around me. Differences between the pork and beef production? Pork is mostly controlled by China and beef by Brazil.

-Fuel prices definitely affect the cost of everything and will be a big driver of inflation in the near term and the future of our economy.

My thoughts are that trees can be left standing, produce and livestock can not. If there is an increase in production along with consumers closing their wallets due to inflated prices and the disappearance of the "FREE" money, prices will come back down.

My wife says that I'm somewhat of a hoarder of food, especially meat. I like to think of myself as an opportunist when I see a good deal on something. We have 2 freezers mostly full and 2 refrigerator/freezers also mostly full.

 

[SmokinAl]

Your right Peachy, I have been retired & on a fixed income for 17 years, it it really hurts now. I guess if it happened a bit slower it wouldn’t have been so hard to swallow, the last 2-3 weeks have been unbelievable. Our grocery bill has doubled!
Al

 

[gmc2003]

All I can say is that I'm glad I'm only feeding the wife and I. I'd hate to be feeding a family of 4 or more with some of the prices I've seen.

Chris

 

[smokin peachey]

Your right Peachy, I have been retired & on a fixed income for 17 years, it it really hurts now. I guess if it happened a bit slower it wouldn’t have been so hard to swallow, the last 2-3 weeks have been unbelievable. Our grocery bill has doubled!
Al

Yes Al I feel for you. I feel like at the current rate what doubled in cost in the last 3 years will probably quadruple in the next 2. Economics 101 must have been forgotten. There is no such thing as a free lunch is such a true statement. I see a major tank coming soon. I’m thankful I have land and cattle and could survive without buying much. If things get to bad for you come on up.

 

[smokin peachey]

All I can say is that I'm glad I'm only feeding the wife and I. I'd hate to be feeding a family of 4 or more with some of the prices I've seen.

Chris

I’ve seen how you eat and it looks like your plate could feed a family of 6!

 

[smokerjim]

With restaurants and bbq. Places all reopening, meat plants under staffed, fuel prices, grain prices, supply and demand. It's the perfect storm. I did hear the prices are going to start slowly come down in a few weeks , guess we'll see.

 

[bigfurmn]

Another major issue is the cost of transporting the goods besides fuel costs. There is a major driver shortage right now. There a lanes my company covers that the cost of moving a full trailer has tripled this year. Simple as supply and demand. Now if only my customers would understand that concept.

 

[SmokyMose]

Another major issue is the cost of transporting the goods besides fuel costs. There is a major driver shortage right now. There a lanes my company covers that the cost of moving a full trailer has tripled this year. Simple as supply and demand. Now if only my customers would understand that concept.

Last time I talked with my old boss he told me it's almost impossible to get trailers for gosh sake. The company owned four or five trailers and we had 3 yr leases on 5.
When the crap hit and they were surviving by the skin of their teeth he let the leases go back. Now that some shows are coming back XtraLease doesn't have any.
Don't know what he'll do if the big shows come back. I've rented 15 to 20 for an auto show.

 

[forktender]

Your right Peachy, I have been retired & on a fixed income for 17 years, it it really hurts now. I guess if it happened a bit slower it wouldn’t have been so hard to swallow, the last 2-3 weeks have been unbelievable. Our grocery bill has doubled!
Al

Same here Al, I've pretty much been retired for 10 yrs living on a fixed income sucks.
I had it all figured out, well all but the career ending injury.
I thought I had 10 more yrs of investments to bank. Wrong!!

 

[chef jimmyj]

Same Boat here. Arthritis took out my legs, so can't work Restaurants or Teach any more. The 401K I had, got eaten up following the 2008 Crash and my wife losing her job and later developed her own health issues...JJ

 

[RiversideSm0ker]

I seem to have hashed out a bunch of negative feelings and memories with this thread. I apologize for that. Hopefully we will all find some kind of balance that we can live with sooner than later. I convinced out CIO here at the county's IT department to allow me to do a smoke in the fall for the entire department. Kind of an F U COVID celebration for surviving the apocalypse. He agreed to have the management pay for all of the meats and I will donate my time and talents to smoke everything and get it ready to serve. Hopefully prices will become more manageable by then and we can make that happen. I think that it will be a blast to make food for about 300 people. Hope that you are all doing well.

G

 

[bigfurmn]

River... I believe you simply pointed out the obvious. Prices change in the market often. I believe people are just expressing what they are going through. I am doing a decent smoke for family and friends on Saturday. Pork shoulder and brisket. Give corona (purposely spelled that way) a giant middle finger and let's get back to,enjoying life... Even if it's a bit more expensive now.