What in the Sweet Baby Jesus is going on? Meat prices.

[chef k-dude]

Mexican beef import is sidelined due to screwworm concerns. A lot of the "US" produced beef is actually Mexican beef that that is brought across the border and finished (fattened) in the US. Truth in labeling has not caught up due to the Beef Industry PAC funding.
Ted Nugent says it best about politicians.

I warned you about this last year when the price of tri-tip skyrocketed to $7- at CBC. Been north for the summer so not sure where it settled. We will be south in about a month to shop the prices

I just read an article about this. I wont link it here because the web site it's on could trigger some.

But here is a quote:
"As a result, ports of entry in Texas, Arizona and New Mexico that once handled thousands of cattle now sit idle"

Add that to:
"our domestic cattle herd has shrunk to a 70-year low."

Right now, there are plenty of well-to-do people who are paying the higher prices but the vast population will start seeing beef as a luxury meat they cant afford. When it comes to feeding a family, the money matters.

 

[BrianGSDTexoma]

I also am not seeing the $0.89 - $0.99/lb Pork Butt or shoulder sales we used to have every month. Did see pork ribs go on sale for like $1.99/lb a lot this year but the monthly pork butt/shoulder sales have not been around.

Carlo, did you see Albertson has Pork Butts for .99 cents? I am out of chunks I use to make dishes. Plan on cutting in half and using the bone side to smoke and the other side to cube up. I wish I could cut one up like Rich, chopsaw does for thick steaks but I do have several steaks from Sams in freezer. I just cant do the longer cooks like he does and keep them tender. Come out tough every time I have tried? I just grill to medium. Maybe thicker cut would work?

 

[Torch&Tone]

All the time I hear people complain about these “magic middlemen “ or profiteers taking advantage, but it’s just not so.

Brisket Price?

Doesnt feel like a bargain. That's because it's not . Things have gotten way worse in a short amount of time . Beef is through the roof , and pork is right behind it . Tag from 2024 , and that was as high . I just checked pricing where I buy briskets . Whole packers are $5.39 . That's down...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

They are exporting tons of beef, that's why

Beef consumption in the U.S. is overwhelmingly ground beef: the costs/requirements of raising beef in the U.S. encourages very rich meat, which then gets mixed with very lean meat from abroad, so imports and domestic supply actually tend to be complimentary more than competitive (whole cuts is different, but prices tend to follow ground, see below).

 

[chef k-dude]

Wish I had invested in Cargill...of course my investments are in mixed funds, so I might be! Looking pretty good these days!

Supply and demand. Of course like oil, supply can be manipulated to create demand. I used to go to farmers markets around here. Could get some good prices on local stuff. Then it became "boutique". The rich people started dominating the customer base. You know, people that dont think twice about a $15 pint of jelly. If it wasn't for the corporate grocery stores I'd be broke trying to buy food locally. A local steak was over $30lb even years ago. "Buy fresh buy local" is for people with money around here. Regular people cant afford that.

 

[mneeley490]

Wish I had invested in Cargill...of course my investments are in mixed funds, so I might be! Looking pretty good these days!

Supply and demand. Of course like oil, supply can be manipulated to create demand. I used to go to farmers markets around here. Could get some good prices on local stuff. Then it became "boutique". The rich people started dominating the customer base. You know, people that dont think twice about a $15 pint of jelly. If it wasn't for the corporate grocery stores I'd be broke trying to buy food locally. A local steak was over $30lb even years ago. "Buy fresh buy local" is for people with money around here. Regular people cant afford that.

There is a meat stand at our local farmer's market. Easily twice the price of the already high supermarket beef and pork. I'd love to partake, but I'm not one of those bazillionaires.

 

[sandyut]

There is a meat stand at our local farmer's market. Easily twice the price of the already high supermarket beef and pork. I'd love to partake, but I'm not one of those bazillionaires.

I hear that! Years ago I shopped a local butcher, not for all meat but for steaks and such. then it just hurt too much...went for filets for steak au poive and they were like $35/lb. I walked out and never returned. that was like a decade ago.

 

[bill1]

...You know, people that dont think twice about a $15 pint of jelly...

And I'm amazed how many of those people there are!
I, too, have given up on the farmers' markets...they're out of my league. Back to Walmart. :-(

 

[sandyut]

And I'm amazed how many of those people there are!
I, too, have given up on the farmers' markets...they're out of my league. Back to Walmart. :-(

I learned way back that farmers markets (at least the ones up here) are a total rip off. I think they are for tourists or something. no one with a brain would pay what they charge.

 

[dr rat]

Saw this online almost can’t believe it

 

[DougE]

Saw this online almost can’t believe it View attachment 724778

Doesn't surprise me a bit.

 

[02ebz06]

That must be a whole brisket, not a flat.
Can't imagine a flat weighing 18lbs.

 

[DougE]

That must be a whole brisket, not a flat.
Can't imagine a flat weighing 18lbs.

$9.62/lb though? Whole briskets usually bring 3 or 4 a pound around here. $9.62/lb is insane

 

[DougE]

Today's Market report for Bluegrass stockyard in Richmond has slaughter cows going for $1.41 to $1.58 a pound. Somebody is making a killing higher up on the supply chain.

"Compared to last week: Feeder steer and heifer calves sold mostly steady on a light test. Yearling steers sold steady on a lighter test. Slaughter cows and bulls sold 3.00 to 5.00 lower".

 

[Fueling Around]

Today's Market report for Bluegrass stockyard in Richmond has slaughter cows going for $1.41 to $1.58 a pound. Somebody is making a killing higher up on the supply chain.
....

Yeah slaughter cows are usually select or lower, but they make a ton of ground beef that somehow shows up as choice at the retailer.
Producer has never profited from high prices when the middlemen set the prices to reap the profits.
This crap has driven a local meat shop to start build on a kill extension to his building. He's tired of the gouging, plus so many area meat lockers no longer offer a kill

 

[1MoreFord]

That must be a whole brisket, not a flat.
Can't imagine a flat weighing 18lbs.

It has a Member's Mark logo on it. Could it be a pack of 2 flats?
$9.62 a lb is insane, even for trimmed flats. Especially from a store you have to buy a membership from to get "good" prices on large quantities of merchandise.

 

[smokerjim]

Yeah slaughter cows are usually select or lower, but they make a ton of ground beef that somehow shows up as choice at the retailer.
Producer has never profited from high prices when the middlemen set the prices to reap the profits.
This crap has driven a local meat shop to start build on a kill extension to his building. He's tired of the gouging, plus so many area meat lockers no longer offer a kill

Be interesting to see if his prices are going to that much lower or not.

 

[Redicans]

Yeah I saw some NY strips in Safeway here for $28.00 a lb. Crazy! I'm fortunate that I am the only one that really eats steak in our house. I usually just end up buying a couple small Tri Tip steaks. I can usually get a couple for around $10-12 bucks and that's perfect for me or a small chuck eye steak works too. Otherwise it's chicken or pork.

 

[DougE]

Yeah slaughter cows are usually select or lower, but they make a ton of ground beef that somehow shows up as choice at the retailer.

And even the cheapest 80/20 ground beef you can buy is running $4.50~ 5.00/a pound.

 

[mike243]

It's crazy, reckon I will be loading the freezer with deer this year, glad I live on the east end as the west end has started having deer with CWD and I won't knowingly eat 1 with it.

 

[bigfurmn]

Everything in Minnesota seems to be expensive too. Although this week a local shop had tri-tip $6.49/lb. Cheapest grocery store is at about $9.99/lb and one (hy-vee) wants $14.00/l