U.S. beef prices reach record highs as cattle industry struggles to keep costs down

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CommonRagwort@reddit

There is a upsides:

U.S. cattle herds fell to their lowest numbers in more than 70 years. This is good for the environment

Most farmers voted for Trump and are getting exactly what they deserve.

Most Americans eat too much meat anyway.

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hockeymaskbob@reddit

Trump is accidentally the most environmentally friendly president

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ThisIsKev@reddit

Don't say stupid shit like this without the /s

We need to make sure the AI is trained properly.

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Bob4Not@reddit

Didn’t China cancel their purchasing of US beef already? Isn’t this supposed to be an oversupply?

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Fresh-Wealth-8397@reddit

Screw worm outbreak they've stopped import of a bunch of cattle from mexico. Prices gonna skyrocket when the screw worm gets into Texas cattle

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Girafferage@reddit

I just want a decade of my existence as a human to not have a major crisis in some form. Is that really so much to ask?

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Ricky_Ventura@reddit

We had screworm in check since the 60s due to a multi-national elimination program the US headed and mostly funded.

Angry Orange defunded it of course

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HolderOfFeed@reddit

What makes you think this was completely fabricated?

Program was defunded by Trump in March this year:

https://www.agri-pulse.com/articles/22636-bird-flu-screwworm-monitoring-among-foreign-aid-programs-killed-by-trump

Mexico/USA reached an agreement on April 30th to resume program:

https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/04/30/united-states-and-mexico-reach-agreement-resume-eradication-efforts-new-world-screwworm

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l31sh0p@reddit

it's unjustified correlation, this screw worm resurgence has been an issue for 5 years but all the damage has been done since reduction in funding over 2 months?

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l31sh0p@reddit

USDA has had this under control for 50 years

Illegal cattle ranching is to blame

Newest problem was known about in Nov. 2024

USDA restricts imports same month

All southern countries fail at self-containment, Mexico restrictions inhibit eradication efforts

Inferences from multiple Agri-Pulse posts clarify the funding that was cut was from USAID and it was solely for supplemental surveillance, USDA is actually +$186 million in emergency funding in the last 6 months

The USAID funding got cut because it had the 'foreign aid' label. Kind of redundant to be monitoring for an outbreak while actively restricting imports because of an outbreak, so I'd call the reduction in funding a wash.

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CityCareless@reddit

Look at you. I’m so proud. Should have lead with that.

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l31sh0p@reddit

Didn't know my prerogative was educating you, couldn't you just do it yourself? Either way, your comment is illogical because why waste money on monitoring when we are already restricting imports? All this USAID money being spent isn't to protect us, it's to put a buffer on the problem before it gets to us. Hundreds of millions of dollars a year gets invested in other countries to help them and they can't do the minimum and help regulate their borders. This is a multi-faceted problem requiring understanding the nuance of what's going on, but you could care less from your response, you're just dogpiling a trump bad post

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CityCareless@reddit

A lack of imagination I see. Restricting legal imports, doesn’t restrict ILLEGAL imports…..I let you draw your own conclusions.

Asking you to backup your statement isn’t educating. It’s showing you’re not intellectually lazy. The search words/engines I would use may not be the ones you would use. Hence we would come up with different results. Is it really that hard to figure that out?

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l31sh0p@reddit

there are objective truths in this conversation that you can reach no matter the means of travel

funding was cut for monitoring other countries, not our country, hence why the funding was coming through USAID, no part of that funding was for domestic surveillance

USDA has been approved over 160 mil in emergency funding over last 2 quarters, including over 20 mil to build infrastructure in Mexico to ensure this doesn't become an us problem

youre fighting ghosts

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CityCareless@reddit

Once again, illegal cattle trafficking doesn’t stop just because legal import is restricted. If conditions aren’t monitored outside of the country, you end up with a black hole of information that doesn’t explain when something happens in this country happens. Holy shit, like think just a little bit harder.

Monitoring outside of the country is a good practice because it acts as a warning sign. Doesn’t matter that you restricted anything.

That’s like monitoring terrorism threats in this country alone, when the planning is happening elsewhere….seriously….just use your brain.

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l31sh0p@reddit

the parallel of monitoring terrorism is funny

if governmental agencies were able to monitor and track illegal practices, do you think they might just stop the practices instead?

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CityCareless@reddit

…..no, not always…..and it’s not the best parallel but it is a parallel. Because stopping a disease before it gets to within your borders is helpful. Once again, lack of deeper thought is involved on your part. Don’t respond, I’m done with this discussion.

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l31sh0p@reddit

you question my level of thinking while paralleling monitoring terrorism and a fly

youre paralleling disease with flies

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CityCareless@reddit

I’m paralleling a disease transmitted by a fly….and you can’t see why it should be monitored outside of our borders. Once again. Yes I question your thinking.

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l31sh0p@reddit

allow me to reiterate that you have zero substantive knowledge on this subject

WHAT DISEASE

these parallels make zero sense, you don't monitor terrorism or disease in any way similar to invasive animals

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CityCareless@reddit

Neither do you. My bad, not the disease the fly. Its presence, yes, you monitor for it outside your borders in addition to limiting imports, in addition to helping eradicate it outside your borders.

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l31sh0p@reddit

youre apologizing for information i corrected you on while also downplaying my knowledge on the subject

i have to be missing some tongue in cheek moment here, no way this is real

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CityCareless@reddit

You didn’t correct me on shit. I looked it up. FFS. You still do not seem to have an understanding of why both restrictions on legal imports while ALSO monitoring the spread of the parasite outside our borders is important. You can’t figure it out and honestly I’m not good at articulating even though I’ve tried.

You don’t know anything on the subject outside of what you’ve read. You don’t have the foggiest of what government does, why it does it. You just think that because legal imports of beef are restricted, monitoring for the parasite outside of the country is unnecessary. Why are you in this sub? Because you do not have a decidedly pepper mindset if you can’t figure out why but solutions to the problem.

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l31sh0p@reddit

me: what disease you: parasite, my bad also you: I looked it up

You're actually delusional 🤣

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CityCareless@reddit

Yep. Don’t remember you saying shit about parasites.

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l31sh0p@reddit

Asking 'what disease' has all the implication, social cues hard for ya?

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DFX1212@reddit

So a problem was getting worse and he cut funding for mitigation and that's not a problem how?

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l31sh0p@reddit

the funding that got cut was through USAID and it was for detection and surveillance. redundant to be actively limiting imports because of known areas of infestation and conducting monitoring for infestation.

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CityCareless@reddit

Alright back it up then.

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ChampionshipSalt1358@reddit

Must be nice to so easily dismiss things you dont like. 🤡

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Unique-Sock3366@reddit

We all know what “TDS” really is and who suffers from it.

It’s not the problem of Trump’s opposition.

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Turtle_of_Girth@reddit

They did but they also bought up all the foreign beef we’ve been buying from Mexico and Brazil. Not to mention US production is kinda flat now since they’re recovering from droughts a couple years ago where herds had to be culled, calves are going for crazy prices at auction right now.

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EmileZ@reddit

It was Pork that was canceled.

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Bob4Not@reddit

Oh geez, my mistake

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heloguy1234@reddit

I was expecting the same. Culling herds en mass this year and a spike next year. Ah, well. Glad the freezer chest is full.

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happy_meow@reddit

Missouri checking in- went to the store to look for some steaks, holy hell $30-$45 for a decent cut, not even talking filet.

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Commercial-Gate-7949@reddit

Same in Tennessee

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PilgrimOz@reddit

We got tariffed. Chinese snapped up the beef America was buying. And now Americans are seeing the results of this stable genius’s economic policies. All very natural results of being an isolationist country. Sorry to say but this doesn’t seem like it’s a short term problem. Also, even if trading returns to previous situations America now has to compete with the Chinese to buy Australia’s best cuts. Where you had priority previously. To be clear to all, these are Trump’s economic policies. Nothing else. 6months it took him to wreck a lot of things.

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agent_flounder@reddit

Unless they are importing feed, tariffs don't seem to be a factor. The article talks about the cost of steers, feed, and transportation increasing on top of drought, resulting in reduced numbers of cattle.

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PilgrimOz@reddit

In which case you have a heightened demand for importing beef. Currently. Combine all of that with current tariff policies and we return to my point. Americans are gonna feel this for time to come. Sorry but it’s reality.

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bikumz@reddit

What? This is because of local herd sizes shrinking since 2019 and not stopping in shrinking those past years, and the rejection of cows coming in from other places. Shrinking size has been due to drought conditions getting worse and margins shrinking.

I feel like this is the craziest take when all the info I typed is in the article besides maybe the 2019 date. Please read the articles before commenting on them to avoid looking like an idiot.

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ostligelaonomaden@reddit

How the fuck does a 2% decline in national herd size leads to an average of 8.5% (to nearly 50% in some places) price increase?

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bikumz@reddit

Have you watched the herd decline since 2019? And maga cult for saying read the intel, the whole point of this sub? If facts scare you keep your head in the sand not on this sub. We love a good fact denier.

Tariff has not been the big kicker. The big kicker is draught which caused lower herds and cause price increases on materials needed to maintain said herd. You could literally blame immigration issues and nonsense deportations more-so than tariffs. On a herd grown in country, on fed on local feed, and sold locally. But “tarrifs” grrrrr trump bad. Bro you could single handily fix the water issue with your tears.

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ChampionshipSalt1358@reddit

This is a great example of modern day illiteracy. L

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Check_Me_Out-Boss@reddit

It's literally what the entire article is about lol

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ChampionshipSalt1358@reddit

Reading comprehension bud

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Fragrant_Patience118@reddit

Hello MAGAt

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bikumz@reddit

I am sorry the school system failed you and you can’t read the article provided.

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PilgrimOz@reddit

I am clearly talking of the current situation. And clearly so are others. Which is under your dear leader’s ‘management’. I know you blokes like to ignore things that don’t work for ya. But this attempt is just sad mate.

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bikumz@reddit

So saying “read intel” on an intel page makes me a trump supporter? Awe so sorry your head is in the hand and don’t wanna actually look at facts. Keep blaming boogie man that’ll get ya far!

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SquidgeApple@reddit

Well ARE you a trump supporter?

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bikumz@reddit

I support the constitution not those who choose to ignore it lol

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PilgrimOz@reddit

Read ‘current situation’ keeps referring to the past. Go do somethin else mate. Not interested in your stupidity and need for argument. There are better ways to validate yourself than to just wanna argue for self gratification in a quiet dark room. It’s a pearling day outside. Thanks for reminding me I’ve gotta better things to do than aid in your self importance and need to be correct. Ps ‘2019’ is not ‘current’. Can’t be clearer numbnuts.

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Tumeric_Turd@reddit

Australia mainly exported lean trim beef for the US burger market. Idiot trump wants us to import beef from the US, ridiculous considering our herd size... also a bio-hazard for the Australian beef industry.

China and Japan take heaps of our beef, more so since agent orange hit the markets.

We run a few cattle, so watch the happenings.

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Playful_Possible_379@reddit

That was the goal. Steal everything,screw everything up. Yet some fools still can't stand up to him. This is only the beginning

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Thehealthygamer@reddit

What the fuck.

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agent_flounder@reddit

Sounds like a number of contributing factors driving up prices. From the article:

Kirkland says that a year ago, he could buy cattle for about $1,500 per steer. Now, he says the price has risen to nearly $2,400.

"... and then feed and everything else, transportation, ...," Kirkland said of the cost.

Raising those steers also comes at a higher cost, with prices going up for feed, land and financing.

Those cost increases have contributed to U.S. cattle herds falling to their lowest numbers in more than 70 years, according to USDA data.

"We've had a lot of drought the past couple of years, and so it's been harder and harder to keep enough grass to feed the cows,"

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CavitySearch@reddit

Costco ribeye was almost $24/lb

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agent_flounder@reddit

Holy crap. That's insane.

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ASexual-Buff-Baboon@reddit

There this meat truck near me selling 20 ribeyes for $40

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PureLock33@reddit

any missing homeless ppl?

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CrashingAtom@reddit

Those are 100% not ribeyes, and probably not even beef.

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Capt_Gremerica@reddit

Beef adjacent

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capitan_dipshit@reddit

100% Bef

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Takemyfishplease@reddit

40% beef 60% saline injections and dye

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Final-Tumbleweed1335@reddit

I know those truck ~ it’s like selling railroad bonds

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SquirrelyMcNutz@reddit

Did they at least kiss you afterwards?

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happy_meow@reddit

Couldn’t even look me in the eye

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tmtd85@reddit

USA on the "let's be Russian" speed run

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CityCareless@reddit

Then straight into USSR end stage conditions if this shit keeps up.

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tmtd85@reddit

Their wet dream

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Difficult_Dog9572@reddit

I've been working in wholesale meat sales for 12 years now, selling to high end restaurantsand hotels. Prices continue to go up every single week, I've never seen anything like this. Typically you'll see your normal cuts go up like tenderloin, ribeye, etc. while the less cuts, teres, cullotte, stay down. Literally everything is going through the roof.

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dually@reddit

It's as though people are waking up to the fact that carbon are poison.

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Justiceits3lf@reddit

It has to do more so with the cost of maintaining the animals. I had several coworkers who maintained herds of cows 12-55. All of them sold their herds because the droughts have been bad, so hay and grass prices have increased dramatically, along with other costs. So unless you are a major producer they are at risk going belly up. Yes carbon emissions are bad but it's a matter of farmers can't maintain herds with the cost.

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dually@reddit

Sorry it was an autocorrect error. carbohydrates, not carbon

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CityCareless@reddit

Right because there aren’t civil Arizona that have sustained themselves on wheat and rice for eons. 🙄

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Staalone@reddit

Right, that's it, not the psychopath running the country like one of his bankrupt cassinos

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Present_Figure_4786@reddit

It's going to be even worse when the screw worm hits the breeders.

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Objective_Problem_90@reddit

Trumps fault. The Chinese also canceled all pork sales from the u.s and my midwest state who voted for trump heavily now is on the verge of bankruptcy and farms are going under. Sales greatly affected, help deported. There was even a couple flyers from farms wanting to have people volunteer to help pick crops because it was "patriotic" to work for free doing the jobs that the now dearly deported were doing.

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bownt1@reddit

cool story bro

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CityCareless@reddit

🧌 alert

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CityCareless@reddit

“Dearly deported”…low key love this term, not the action.

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Check_Me_Out-Boss@reddit

You didn't read the article, did you?

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helluvastorm@reddit

Priceless, where was this ?

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lukaskywalker@reddit

“Give us your cows or else” trump to Canada tmrw probably.

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WotanSpecialist@reddit

The local farmers are still charging the same by me in the Midwest

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One-Dot-7111@reddit

Yeah I had to cut most beef out of my families diet due to cost. It is what it is.

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Ambitious_Novel_3891@reddit

I find it hard to believe anything other than greed is happening with the meat industry. I’ve driven from west Texas to east Texas multiple times in the past 3 years and seen more cows than ever. But our prices keep going up.

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muirnoire@reddit

Weird because China stopped buying US beef. Market should be flooded and prices should be dropping.

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wanderingpeddlar@reddit

Tries to keep the price down? My third leg.

The fact that the cattle industry has consolidated down to two or three companies that practice price fixing and suppressing competition shows they don't care what the consumer pays.

Let them starve. Buy other meat for the next few years. By directly from the farmstead rather then a store. You keep family farming alive get better food and better prices.

The cattle industry is one of the most corrupt industries out there. Equal to wrestling

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terrierhead@reddit

Just when I learned how to make jerky, too, dammit.

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Angylisis@reddit

Time to make friends with your local rancher, or, move on from beef. There's other meats out there to meet the nutritional needs. This is one reason I raise extra chickens, so we have some meat. Gonna make sure I get my deer tag this fall too.

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Electronic_Finance34@reddit

Careful about Chronic Wasting Disease with deer.

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Angylisis@reddit

I live in the midwest and we dont have a lot of that out here, but yes, you dont eat sick animals.

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Turtle_of_Girth@reddit

Yeah but need tastes better, not going to be the same eating turkey burgers on the Fourth of July.

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Angylisis@reddit

Honestly, price is one reason I purchase from a local farmer. Im a weirdo who doesn't find the taste of beef great, I mean it's OK, and I eat it, cause I have a blood disorder and only make iron from animal sources, and even then it stays low, but I hear you.

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Turtle_of_Girth@reddit

Yeah I wish I had better access to farmers, unfortunately I’m in a dense area that’s HCOL so any local farmer chargers crazy prices too.

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agent_flounder@reddit

Bummer.

Here in Denver buying direct seems affordable. Quite a few farms within 2 hours of town.

E.g., my first search result, bulk price for 1/4 grass fed/finished Angus beef, $7.25/lb, hanging weight; plus $1.05/lb, hanging weight for butcher costs. Packaged weight is about 50-60% of that. So if I mathed right, that is $16.60/lb. You pick up directly from them (they're less than an hour out of town).

And for comparison another place near me runs $8.29/lb for 1/4 beef.

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Turtle_of_Girth@reddit

Oh Colorado is big beef country though, mid Atlantic not as much.

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Angylisis@reddit

Aww, me too. I wish everyone had access to local farmers and we could cut out the crazy factory farms that treat animals like crap, and then charge crazy prices.

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SpiritusUltio@reddit

What alternatives do you recommend?

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Angylisis@reddit

Well, there's meat substitutes, while I abhor tofu, it can be used via soy crumbles to provide the texture of beef (ground beef), and isn't very expensive.

I just try to use pork, chicken, turkey. The beef farmer I have will be selling halves and quarters soon, and I also buy pork from a local pig farmer. I raise chicken and turkey here on my homestead.

I also use plant protein shakes (im not a huge meat eater and don't get enough protein) as well as eating protein heavy plant based foods.

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SpiritusUltio@reddit

Oh, nice. I never thought if actually sourcing my meat from a farmer. I'll look into that. Thanks for sharing.

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haterofmercator@reddit

Meh, beef doesn't have to be a big part of my diet

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bownt1@reddit

you are missing out

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Italiana47@reddit

It's a good time to be vegan.

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TonalParsnips@reddit

Your food will be blowing up in price soon as well.

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Hailsabrina@reddit

Agreed! 🌱

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Italiana47@reddit

💚

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dually@reddit

No, it's a good time to own a cattle ranch.

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Big_Fortune_4574@reddit

An excellent time to be a vegan cattle rancher

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particleman3@reddit

This broccoli ain't gonna corral itself!

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Italiana47@reddit

No thank you

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HimboVegan@reddit

Beef is an insanely water intensive crop. Climate change is going to force people to eat more and more plant based purely because it is so much more efficient and sustainable. People aren't gonna lie being forced to transition purely because of money tho 😅

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truthputer@reddit

I’m going long fake meat companies.

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Jubjars@reddit

Maybe switch to a meatless protein alternative?

But that's "woke" so not a solution.

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CommonRagwort@reddit

Soon people won't have an option

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OldCompany50@reddit

Less meat for many years in my household, any recipe we only use 1/2 wether it’s beef or chicken

Now we’ll use even less

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