Beef, It's What's Not For Dinner

Question

Commodity beef, especially tender steak cuts, has gotten very expensive recently. I can usually find a well marbled (USDA Choice or higher) steak for under $10.00 lb. but not any more. Decent choice strips are closer to $15.00lb or higher. Skirt steaks were over $20.00lb last week. Is this COVID related like the chicken shortage or is it simply greed?

Answer

I agree, the prices for what you describe are exorbitant! I was pricing out some flank steak for a Cinco de Mayo dinner tomorrow and...it's going to be chicken or shrimp on the menu! Even chicken is climbing up in price. I think it is a bit if greed however, the nationwide supply chain is still suppressed in the NW Rockies. Shop local!

Answer

As said during pioneer times: Go West. Porterhouse or T-bone steak, USDA Choice was on sale for $8.99 / pound here last week. Edited to add - back up to 16.99/pound this week.

Answer

My supermarket, semi robbery store has USDA Choice T-Bone steaks for under $6.00 per pound. Last I looked, Costco prices stable, I'll do a check at Costco and report back later this week.

Answer

Texas beef prices seem pretty stable, and HEB runs some great deals. I got a Wagyu sirloin big enough for three for dinner plus sandwiches the next day for $10. Cheaper than going to Taco Bell.

Answer

Where are you shopping ?

Answer

Boston area, not experiencing this issue at all.

Answer

Here in Chicago, most beef prices went up by a $1-2/lb early in the pandemic and have not come down -- e.g., $6.99/lb for ground chuck, rather than $4.99; $9.99/lb for flank steak, rather than $8.99. 

There's been a lot in the press about how shortages in long-haul truck drivers are resulting in supply chain issues for a whole range of products. That would certainly account for some of the modest increases I've seen for beef.

Answer

Yes, you are right. I agree with your concern. The only price of tender steak cuts increased in your area, but every beef item price increased in my area. Because of this pandemic situation, the suppliers cannot meet up the demand and supply of commodity beef.

Answer

And it will get worse before it gets better (if it does). JBS, the company that controls more than 20% of the US beef supply, was forced to shut down after cyberattacks. It also closed facilities in Canada and Australia.
https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2021/6/1/slaughterhouse-closures-spread-after-cyberattack-on-meat-producer

Answer

Anyone experiencing 'supply chain' or other excuses (cyber hacking?) for the lack of fine quality beef cuts in the last week? I live in the NW Rocky mountains. Everything has gone way up for all meats and poultry, even the locally grown.

Answer

It's weird but not sure why it costs so much just because the US has always over produced corn, beef, meat and many food stuffs so there was never a scarcity issue. 

I'm not convinced of lack of workers etc. as the cause. 

If beef is so crazy high, then who is actually buying it?

Answer

Beef producers by me claim a greater oversea demand is driving the price jump. Producers, by the way, don't get much of the love you'd think from the price jump. Most producers by my have herds of 50-300. Now, take the Brazilian owned beefers in the US. Feed lots in Greely, CO with 100,000 head on each, X 3 lots. Lotta beef. Countries that don't have our space have trouble raising beef to adulthood per lack of grazing land for such huge animals. The Americas are where most beef is grown. Got the space. I feel bad for my Aussie friends who are dry as a popcorn fart. Losing their grazing land. Too much beef can be very hard on the soil.

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Beef, It's What's Not For Dinner

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