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

[pc farmer]

Everyone made good points. I will add that finally the farmer is getting good prices for the animals. A 2 day old calf will bring 1500 bucks if it's black.

 

[Hijack73]

Everyone made good points. I will add that finally the farmer is getting good prices for the animals. A 2 day old calf will bring 1500 bucks if it's black.

A friend of mine's daughter and her husband in Idaho had been regularly buying 3 piglets (for the last few years) and slaughter/butcher all in house but didn't this season because both piglets and feed costs exploded.

You make a good point pig and chicken farmer. I never thought about it that way. I am now thinking of it like the housing market, which I used to dabble in real estate. I can't afford to dabble now due to prices. The builders (farmers) are getting a mint and the consumers (the rest of us) can't afford what they are producing but people do it anyway because you have to have a place to live.

 

[JIMSMOKES]

Hunting season is fixing to start here. It's not going to help though.
Last year price was 125.00 to process and I've heard they're going to go again this year.
It does make me want to bust one of those little bambi's coming through my yard and cook it on this open fire rotisserie I bought and never used. LoL

 

[SmokinEdge]

Farmers can’t hardly justify eating their own beef for what they can sell it for. It’s nuts. Maybe we will have to all start raising rabbits, lol. You know what they say about how rabbits breed, it’s a steady meat source that doesn’t eat to much. Good grief, what am I saying?

 

[1MoreFord]

Hunting season is fixing to start here.........
Last year price was 125.00 to process and I've heard they're going to go again this year.
.............................

Learn how to process your own game.
It's not too hard. Takes minimal specialized equipment byond a decent sized freezer.

 

[Elf@shore]

Learn how to process your own game.
It's not too hard. Takes minimal specialized equipment byond a decent sized freezer.

Nope !
Went to a Federal Meat plant slaughter house. during college trip
Very interesting how they do it, But not for me !
Prefer to pick up the processed Pkg....

 

[1MoreFord]

When I was a kid whole fryers were about $0.29 a pound on a regular basis, How much are they now?
When I moved into my current house just over 30 years ago I could get beef round steak or roasts for a bit over $1.00 a pound when on sale. It was cheaper than lean ground beef. Used to buy several pounds at a time during sales to grind for chili and casseroles.

These days 4 or 5 conglomerates control 80% or so of the beef market and it's similar for the poultry market. If fact some of the same conglomerates have major interests in both markets. See the common denominator?

 

[1MoreFord]

Nope !
Went to a Federal Meat plant slaughter house.
Prefer to pick up the processed Pkg....

Your choice, but I didn't see you complain about the price of processing.

 

[SmokinEdge]

These days 4 or 5 conglomerates control 80% or so of the beef market and it's similar for the poultry market. If fact some of the same conglomerates have major interests in both markets. See the common denominator?

So, why then is local produced meat equal in expense? They screwing us too?

 

[Elf@shore]

So, why then is local produced meat equal in expense? They screwing us too?

Middle Man !
Farmer to a distributor to the retail outlet .
I remember talking to a local farm market, he goes to Philly to buy from a Distributor.
The costs he paid were very low!
Its not the Farmer!
The retail !
Think about the Export costs for a country to send to the USA?
Yet its cheaper then here !?
Middle man !

 

[babydocsmoke]

These days 4 or 5 conglomerates control 80% or so of the beef market and it's similar for the poultry market. If fact some of the same conglomerates have major interests in both markets. See the common denominator?

This is the problem . I'm fine when what extra I pay goes to a farm. I like to think small family farm...but whatever. Its the big corps that I hate. Seems like they bully everyone.

And all I want is a steak.

 

[Elf@shore]

Middle Man !
Farmer to a distributor to the retail outlet .
I remember talking to a local farm market, he goes to Philly to buy from a Distributor.
The costs he paid were very low!
Its not the Farmer!
The retail !
Think about the Export costs for a country to send to the USA?
Yet its cheaper then here !?
Middle man !

Local Food : Fresh Seafood
It goes from off the boat to a warehouse
Sits for a few days and returns back to the store here.
results: poor quality and higher costs.

 

[JIMSMOKES]

Learn how to process your own game.
It's not too hard. Takes minimal specialized equipment byond a decent sized freezer.

The freezer to hang would be my main problem. Plus I'm not a hunter.
It's crazy what people I work with pay. To have a place to hunt. Then add the cost to process.

 

[SmokinEdge]

.

 

[SmokinEdge]

Middle Man !
Farmer to a distributor to the retail outlet .
I remember talking to a local farm market, he goes to Philly to buy from a Distributor.
The costs he paid were very low!
Its not the Farmer!
The retail !
Think about the Export costs for a country to send to the USA?
Yet its cheaper then here !?
Middle man !

Go back and read my post #19. I explain the expense with zero middle man

 

[1MoreFord]

So, why then is local produced meat equal in expense? They screwing us too?

Because they can.
How much less would you take for anything than a store is selling it for?
I've seen prices for local stuff even higher than stores because it's home grown/made, better than in the store, and your "supporting the local" economy.

 

[1MoreFord]

The freezer to hang would be my main problem. Plus I'm not a hunter.
It's crazy what people I work with pay. To have a place to hunt. Then add the cost to process.

Sure sounded like you are a hunter complaining.
My misunderstanding.
BTW, hanging in a freezer is not required. Lots of hunters don't do that.

 

[Elf@shore]

Go back and read my post #19. I explain the expense with zero middle man

Local Food producer:
You are missing the point of Expenses to maintain and produce that product !
Where is the money come from to operate ?
Farm : they Paid too much to produce their crops, Corn goes for almost $1 an ear, then its 20c? retail.
Fishing : How much $ was used up to finally obtain the fish. wasted resources to get there.
These are all factors against the producer.
Not to mention the prior environment as you said, which they inherited
Coming from a Manufacturer Rep, to an Owner Operator has opened up my Eyes.
I was exposed to Convenience stores, Grocery chains, Walmart and small Mom and Pops.

 

[SmokinEdge]

Because they can.
How much less would you take for anything than a store is selling it for?
I've seen prices for local stuff even higher than stores because it's home grown/made, better than in the store, and your "supporting the local" economy.

Local Food producer:
You are missing the point of Expenses to maintain and produce that product !
Where is the money come from to operate ?
Farm : they Paid too much to produce their crops, Corn goes for almost $1 an ear, then its 20c? retail.
Fishing : How much $ was used up to finally obtain the fish. wasted resources to get there.
These are all factors against the producer.
Not to mention the prior environment as you said, which they inherited
Coming from a Manufacturer Rep, to an Owner Operator has opened up my Eyes.
I was exposed to Convenience stores, Grocery chains, Walmart and small Mom and Pops.

Obviously, neither one have you have raised and produced even 1 pound of beef.

Farm/ranch has been my entire life.

 

[Brokenhandle]

From what I have read they are expecting prices to rise until 2026. As mentioned, lowest numbers of cattle since the 1960s. Droughts in most major cattle producing areas for last 12 years. Older farmers retiring with young farmers not being able to afford to get a good start in the industry. Inflation has it's place in the works also. Market manipulation I'm sure has it's place... yes, maybe the farmers are finally making some money... but they deserve it as they've lost their ass for years. And no, it's not the current administration... these prices have steadily been rising... even before this administration. So sadly, it's not getting better anytime soon.
We didn't usually eat alot of beef due to eating mostly venison but having our local deer populations devastated kinda throws a wrench in that.

Ryan