this post was submitted on 18 Aug 2025
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Beef prices surged to an all-time high in July as the market grappled with consistently strong demand and long-term issues in domestic production.

According to the latest consumer price index, which the Bureau of Labor Statistics published on Tuesday, the beef and veal index rose by 2.5% in July, compared to 0.2% for the broader food category. This capped an 11.3% increase over the past 12 months.

Meanwhile, the price of ground beef and uncooked beef steaks has risen by 11.5% and 12.4%, respectively, both now at record levels.

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[–] WanderWisley@lemmy.world 9 points 6 hours ago

Hey America are we tired yet from all this winning?

[–] inclementimmigrant@lemmy.world 44 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

who largely attribute this to declining cattle herds that are incapable of meeting demand, as well as a growing reliance on imports and periodic battles with adverse weather.

So this is Republican's climate denial and tariffs that are the cause. Got it, shame that Democrats won't.

[–] The_v@lemmy.world 12 points 10 hours ago

The cause is 100% the orange morons tariffs on this one.

Beef prices are cyclical. This is because beef producers have a lag time between price increases and their ability to increase their herds (2-3 years).

Historically when beef prices go up, domestic producers sell down their herds to capitalize on the higher pricing. Then imports increase to meet the demand and prices slump. It's usually only a year or two of high prices and 7-8 years of low prices. Producers are conditioned to sell down their herds when prices are high then slowly rebuild them when prices are low.

Enter the orange moron:

Prices were at a normal cyclical high when he started throwing his tantrum and shitting in his diaper. With all the tariffs, producers in other countries decreased their stocking levels.. So prices are soaring.

Demand has remained stable because the largest market is fast food chains. Guess who has spent the past 5 years jacking up prices and making record corporate profits?

Now for more bad news.

Hay prices are beyond depressed. With the decrease in herd size this is normal as supply increases. Again the export market usually absorbs the supply readily with the cheaper pricing. Then as beef prices fall, hay prices climb as producers rebuild their herds. Except the orange moron stepped in and killed the export market. So prices are very low, and supply is very high. We are talking high enough that there will be a shit ton of "mysterious" hay stack fires this fall for insurance claims.

Beef producers and hay producers are often the same operation. Since hay is worthless right now they can not build up their herds and have to keep selling animals to make ends meet.

So the prices at the store are only going to climb higher. Meanwhile the producers are stuck facing diminishing returns as their herd size decreases.

In summary, beans are looking pretty affordable right now.

[–] masterspace@lemmy.ca 45 points 16 hours ago* (last edited 16 hours ago) (3 children)

*American Beef Prices.

The rest of the world is doing fine.

[–] krashmo@lemmy.world 17 points 15 hours ago (3 children)

If by fine you mean "destroying the Amazon to keep eating steaks" then yes, you're correct

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[–] Buffalox@lemmy.world 4 points 11 hours ago

Here in Denmark meat has become a lot more expensive the past couple of years.
500g used to be a standard package almost everywhere, but now 500g is reduced to 400g, and despite being 20% smaller, it is more expensive!

But at least prices have stabilized here, while the opposite seems to be the case in USA.

[–] Butiki@mander.xyz 6 points 13 hours ago

Hmm idk about that. Where I'm from, 500g of minced beef is over 7 euros, and everyone I know has basically stopped buying beef, bc it's not worth it anymore. And we are historically a big consumer of beef. Tbh less beef consumption is probably a good thing, in the grand scheme of things, but that doesn't stop people complaining about it ofc.

[–] Chee_Koala@lemmy.world 33 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

Probably because we never got HUNTER BIDENS LAPTOP. SAD.

[–] rigatti@lemmy.world 11 points 14 hours ago* (last edited 14 hours ago) (1 children)

I know you're fucking around, but we... did get the laptop? That's what the whole laptop controversy was about- the contents of the laptop.

[–] CharlesDarwin@lemmy.world 2 points 4 hours ago

Well, at least we got a hard drive of dubious origin and chain of custody.

[–] harcesz@szmer.info 76 points 18 hours ago

Some food for thought: in Poland under "communism" pretty much every mass protest against the regime corcorelated with meat prices increase. Might come in useful for anyone looking at tackling some regime issues.

[–] manxu@piefed.social 33 points 16 hours ago* (last edited 16 hours ago) (2 children)

It was eggs, then coffee, now beef. They are starting to figure out that if one of the producers hikes up prices, all the other ones will follow suit because why not?

[–] argarath@lemmy.world 28 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

Trump is imposing tariffs on Brazil, and Brazil is one of the biggest beef producers in the world and the biggest choice producer, so that explains those two

[–] PowerCrazy@lemmy.ml 1 points 10 hours ago

Everyone should put huge tariffs on Brazil meat imports imo. Then domestic food should be nationalized and run for stability, not profit.

[–] Typhoon@lemmy.ca 13 points 16 hours ago

It's a golden age of profiteering.

[–] sexy_peach@feddit.org 43 points 17 hours ago (3 children)

Beans and lentils keep winning

[–] quick_snail@feddit.nl 11 points 13 hours ago

Drives me crazy that "beans" isn't listed on the "protein" section of restaurants.

[–] slaneesh_is_right@lemmy.org 8 points 15 hours ago

Never stop winning.

Yesterday i made rice with beans and i used to eat that to save money or i didn't have anything else. Now i just absolutely enjoy it.

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[–] FurryMemesAccount@lemmy.blahaj.zone 62 points 18 hours ago* (last edited 18 hours ago) (26 children)

Good. It's prolly the most polluting food we make (at least as far as meats go)

[–] Boddhisatva@lemmy.world 45 points 18 hours ago* (last edited 17 hours ago) (2 children)

This is not the cure. As the article says:

High prices are the cure for high prices because they are the signal for ranchers to try to expand their herds.

This will lead ranchers to ~~expansion~~ expand their herds.

[–] FragrantGarden@lemmy.today 10 points 17 hours ago

Correct, and greater consolidation. This has already been a long trough in the cyclical cycle. A ton of older ranchers are looking at the prices and just selling with no intent to calve another herd. Not a ton of young people lined up behind them. But economics will dictate that the herd is built back up in another 2-3 years as always.

[–] quick_snail@feddit.nl 3 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

Not true. Lots of chicken farmers decided to switch their infrastructure to growing mushrooms in the past decade.

[–] Velypso@sh.itjust.works 3 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

Because of disease and difficulty of making a profit.

Beef does not have those issues.

[–] quick_snail@feddit.nl 5 points 13 hours ago* (last edited 13 hours ago)

Beef definitely has those problems. CAFOs are rancid places full of disease. Slaughter houses too.

[–] quick_snail@feddit.nl 6 points 13 hours ago

Don't compare it to other meats. Compare it to corn, wheat, spinach, etc.

Its magnitudes worse than normal food.

[–] TheDemonBuer@lemmy.world 22 points 18 hours ago (2 children)

Yeah, IF the higher prices caused consumers to eat less beef, but that's not necessarily going to happen.

[–] Aviandelight@mander.xyz 18 points 17 hours ago (6 children)

Well if it makes you feel better the high prices have made me quit eating beef. I've switched it out for beans and sausage. I'm not vegan but I am cheap.

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[–] Zier@fedia.io 26 points 16 hours ago (2 children)

But egg prices are at a historically low price right? I mean he promised. He also promised to deport 10 million 'illegals' on day one, and end the Ukraine war on "day one". So it's just fine that beef is expensive since President Felon made good on all his other promises, right? /s

[–] winkerjadams@lemmy.dbzer0.com 15 points 16 hours ago

And mexico paid for the wall 10 years ago

[–] WhyIHateTheInternet@lemmy.world 4 points 12 hours ago

Yes, historically low. I now only pay $8/dz versus back in history (few months ago) I was paying $12/dz. Thanks Trump! My stupid ass father in law actually said something like this recently.

[–] Madzielle@lemmy.dbzer0.com 17 points 16 hours ago (2 children)

I reduced my beef intake significantly nearly three years ago. I cook it maybe twice a year for holidays. Beans are absolutely so versatile. Beef is terrible for the environment, and should be expensive.

That being said, I was looking at the sales at my local grocery and they had those "Bubba Burgers" I think the brand is called, frozen beef burgers, on sale, for $16.99 with only 6 patties in the box. I was shocked. Glad I've already invested myself in learning the ways of the bean.

[–] tiredofsametab@fedia.io 1 points 3 hours ago

Yeah, I haven't bought beef that I recall in over a year now. Had it for the first time in ages last week at my wife's parents' house and her friend's BBQ. Eating it only a couple of times makes the taste that much better when I do, but man was quitting it several times a week hard.

[–] a_postmodern_hat@lemmy.world 9 points 15 hours ago

High five bean buddy!

[–] CharlesDarwin@lemmy.world 12 points 16 hours ago

I wonder when it will hit the true cost.

Meanwhile, the dolts in red hats are going state to state and outlawing cultivated meat.

[–] only_in_ohio@sh.itjust.works 15 points 18 hours ago (5 children)
[–] Balaquina@lemmy.ca 13 points 16 hours ago

They'll eat each other before that happens.

[–] Sunshine@piefed.social 15 points 18 hours ago (6 children)

I would gladly take conservative vegans over regular conservatives.

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