Higher Prices & Tighter Budgets: Why Consumers Still Choose Beef
- ZISK
- 5 days ago
- 1 min read
As we close out Beef Month and head into summer grilling season, one question keeps standing out, even to me as a beef producer: How is beef demand still so high even as prices at the meat case continue climbing and consumers continue tightening their budgets?
It’s no secret that today’s cattle cycle has created challenges throughout the beef supply chain. The U.S. cattle herd remains at historically low levels, supplies are tight and consumers are feeling pressure at the grocery store. According to the USDA Economic Research Service, wholesale beef prices were 19.7% higher in March 2026 than in March 2025 and are predicted to increase by 7.8% in 2026.
Yet consumers continue choosing beef. In fact, despite those higher prices, consumers increased both their spending and purchase volume during that same period. Over the four weeks ending April 19, 2026, beef generated $3.56 billion in retail dollar sales, up 7.5% year over year and outpacing competing proteins like chicken and pork.
By Kalena Bruce
May 29, 2026 07:09 AM
Comments