Meat prices going up

[37 chief]

I see on the news tonight meat prices are going up 20 percent. I wonder how much of that money the cattle ranchers will get? Stan

 

[fastfarmall]

None,there is too many at home!

 

[newhollandnut]

All the ranchers and cattle farmers are still chugging along just having a hard time selling finished steers at market. On the flip side several people have called me interested in buying 1/4 1/2 or whole beef but this is not something I normally do and the local butchers are booked up solid

 

[mfitzpatrick2]

My brother and his wife raise beef in Michigan

They have it processed at a USDA facility and sell by the pound or you can get quarter, half, whole, etc.

Already sold more beef from their meat shop this year than all of last year, which was around 30

Usually sell 100 or more a year at the stock yard but if this keeps up all will be processed for freezer beef

No change in price but running out of critters and now having trouble getting feeders.

Processing facility is keeping up but running full out

The last 2 processed all sold in first day

 

[LonM]

Very little... fed cattle were bringing around $1.15 to $1.20 per pound of live weight in February. Now they are bringing around $0.95 per pound. Cattle are backing up and packers cannot run at capacity. It's the lowest price for fed cattle in about 15 years. Direct marketers are doing better than that, but butcher shops/lockers are booked solid for several months. It will get better for the people feeding cattle, but there are a lot of heavy cattle to chew through before prices at the farm level improve.

 

[SVcummins]

None of it . Prices are dropping on live cattle

 

[Traditional Farmer]

According to an article on Market Watch 85% of the meat processing in the USA is controlled by 4 companies,in other words they have a choke hold on the supply line.Maybe this will wake up some consumers to seek out local suppliers of meat and other food.There are few local small processing facilities because there hasn't been much demand most places up until now.Pretty good number in my area but deer processing is what has been keeping them in business,if it weren't for the deer business there'd be very few.
The people that go to cut rate places like Walmart to buy meat instead of seeking out local producers are the ones that created the problem so now they pay$$.

 

[WNYBill]

I believe we will see a rise in all grocery prices, stores are spending a huge amount sanitizing. The producer has always gotten shortchanged, the futures buyers make the money. Buying at the farm has never worked for us, too many cuts we just never buy. Son and his wife bought a half and had it all ground, they are happy and the hamburg is very good. For St Sandra and me, Sam's Club PRIME rib eyes and strips! One feeds us both.

Bill

 

[mfitzpatrick2]

My brother says the same

He has had people purchase a whole and have it all ground into burger, what a waste of choice cuts.

Now he offers the equivalent whole weight in burger at a discount and keeps the choice cuts for those who request them. Percentage wise he makes the most from the choice cuts anyway.

Its a win win!

This is the beauty of having a legal licensed meat shop where you can sell frozen beef by the pound while providing just what the customer wants.
The meat shop is at his home in a separate small building and the customers can see how they are raised, in a reasonably clean environment with 90+% of their diet coming directly from the farm.
No wild supplements (just normal vitamins and minerals), No hormones, and only get antibiotics individually (as needed) by a licensed vet

Never has enough choice cuts but has plenty of burger.
Only so many choice cuts but all can be burger.

Most people don't understand how few steaks, T bones, loins, etc. are in one animal and think they have been cheated out of choice cuts when purchasing a whole.

Poor quality beef should always be burger as the steaks can be shoe leather.

When I was a young lad my father raised beef (cow calf) and the cows were all old dairy cattle from many many years earlier.
We didn't have much $ so the calves were fed out or sold as feeders and the only beef we had was from the old cows that did not have calves.
No matter what you did the steaks were tough and dry.
SO we had all burger and some roasts. It was good burger and the roasts were excellent if slow cooked for many hours.
Never knew until I was a teen what a good quality steak was.

For those who have had good quality choice cuts, you know how wasteful it is to grind them.

The bottom line is that not all beef is equal in quality.

 

[Traditional Farmer]

Your son may be different from the rest but I would never have a beef killed at a place that also sells meat,just too much opportunity for skimming a few steaks off the top as extra profit.Known of a couple places that did it for sure.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

Called supply and demand. Prices went up because supply went down from packages houses closing. Chances are farmers are getting hosed and happy to sell animals for less instead of killing them because they can't afford to feed them.

Just my opinion, could be wrong. Don't pay attention to markets.
George

 

[Geo-TH,In]

When I go to Kroger's, which isn't often. I go to meats and look for managers special mark down. Many times I find meats at about 50% off. I picked up some nice looking $30 steaks for $15. I buy all the special mark downs that look good and I have a freezer full.
It seems the expensive cuts most people can't afford end up as mark downs. Perhaps I'm lucky and there at the right time to take advantage of a go deal. The next person isn't so lucky.
George

 

[formenwhogrow]

I'd be willing to bet that those choice cuts don't got to waste. That packer no doubt keeps them for his own case and subs in ground beef from other animals. Heck that's what I'd do if was in his shoes.

 

[Traditional Farmer]

Then you'd be cheating the customer.Suppose the customer has grown their beef a certain way like grass fed or no drugs or no growth hormones and wants their meat only for whatever reason?
You two fellows comments is why I trust very few meat processors.Unfortunately its an industry full of crooks.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

Read an article saying grocery prices are going down. Then another article saying prices are going up because of meat prices. What do you believe?
George