Beef Prices

gim wrote:

They could increase production, but often choose not to, which keeps prices higher. JBS recently settled a $52.5 million lawsuit for price fixing. They admitted no wrong doing, but agreed that it was “in the best interest of the company” to settle. Uh huh.

I think it would be terribly tough to increase production. You can really only raise so many animals effectively and there are always issues to contend with weather-wise and then disease. They just wiped out all the turkeys in Meeker county due to Avian flu.
Its wild what some foreign countries are trying to do. Overseas they want to reduce the number of cattle to fight air pollution from their flatulence. Its really mind blowing what ends some people will go to in the name of climate change.

CaptainMusky wrote:

They just wiped out all the turkeys in Meeker county due to Avian flu.

I read that this morning. It was 182,000 domestic turkeys at a single location in Meeker County because of avian flu. Its the first case since May here in MN.

gim wrote:

I read that this morning. It was 182,000 domestic turkeys at a single location in Meeker County because of avian flu. Its the first case since May here in MN.

Yeah, not good.

I just looked back, we paid $2.50 per # hanging weight for a quarter this July. It’s a family friend who raises 5-6 steers at a time and has the finishing process down to a science. I’ve truthfully never had better beef. It’s then processed at our favorite locker in the area about ~25 miles down the road. I make one call about how I want things cut, what I want to keep or grind, etc. and it’s done.

Buy now B4 it gets high again and BC blames Biden

I know one thing Iam killing 2 deer this fall. DK.

The 1/2 a beef we bought was from Frazee locker. At the time when we ordered the meat we had checked with Perham locker and they were $3.35 a lb.

Like I said in my earlier post. I would have thought it would have been based off hanging weight. But when we picked up our meat it was $1000 for 336 lbs of beef.

Michael Best wrote:

The 1/2 a beef we bought was from Frazee locker. At the time when we ordered the meat we had checked with Perham locker and they were $3.35 a lb.

Like I said in my earlier post. I would have thought it would have been based off hanging weight. But when we picked up our meat it was $1000 for 336 lbs of beef.

That is hanging weight. No way you got 336 lbs of packaged meat off a half. More like 60ish% of 336. It’s usually closer to 200+ lbs of meat that you take home. Live weight, hanging weight, then packaged weight.

gim wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>bigcrappie wrote:</div>
Why are beef prices so high 2022?
Meat prices are currently 7.5% higher than this time last year. This is due to several factors from general inflation, which in June climbed to 9.1% — the highest since November 1981 – to labor, fuel, supply chain issues and a drought impacting Texas and midwestern states.

There are four major meat processing companies that have over 80% of the market in this country. JBS, Cargill, Tyson, and Smithfield control the vast majority of meat operations here and therefore, the supply. They could increase production, but often choose not to, which keeps prices higher. JBS recently settled a $52.5 million lawsuit for price fixing. They admitted no wrong doing, but agreed that it was “in the best interest of the company” to settle. Uh huh.

You are correct that 4 companies basically control the meat processing in the USA. My son works for a National cleaning company that has all 4 companies as clients. He told me in the last month 2 of very largest livestock producers are building their own processing plants. They are going into competition with the BIG 4.

MX1825 wrote:

He told me in the last month 2 of very largest livestock producers are building their own processing plants. They are going into competition with the BIG 4.

Good! We need more competition for those juggernauts. They have way too much control over the supply chain.

Onthewater wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Michael Best wrote:</div>
The 1/2 a beef we bought was from Frazee locker. At the time when we ordered the meat we had checked with Perham locker and they were $3.35 a lb.

Like I said in my earlier post. I would have thought it would have been based off hanging weight. But when we picked up our meat it was $1000 for 336 lbs of beef.

That is hanging weight. No way you got 336 lbs of packaged meat off a half. More like 60ish% of 336. It’s usually closer to 200+ lbs of meat that you take home. Live weight, hanging weight, then packaged weight.

336 lbs of actual meat out the door on a 1/2 beef. Seems a bit much.
I usually get like 120-140 tops back on a 1/4.

I looked up Frazee locker and it’s called Ketter’s meat market.
I’ll be stopping there if I ever get to Frazee. Take a look at their price list! It’s either outdated or very cheap! Just an example is $60 to butcher a beef and $30 for a pig. THAT is really hard to believe.

Anybody else their pricelist and thought Holy Hanna that’s crazy cheap??!!

gim wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>MX1825 wrote:</div>
He told me in the last month 2 of very largest livestock producers are building their own processing plants. They are going into competition with the BIG 4.

Good! We need more competition for those juggernauts. They have way too much control over the supply chain.

The competition and answer to the monopoly over the supply chain….is right down the road at a local farm and meat locker.

haleysgold wrote:

Take a look at their price list! It’s either outdated or very cheap! Just an example is $60 to butcher a beef and $30 for a pig. THAT is really hard to believe.

Anybody else their pricelist and thought Holy Hanna that’s crazy cheap??!!

Butcher and process are different things. When we get our beef processed, there is a line item for the butchering. Then separate lines for items. Grinding/processing roasts,steaks,jerky, sliced dried beef, processing and packaging organs, etc

Way back as a youth, your local butcher would kill, gut, and skin a hog and slice it in half down the spine for $20 for us to put on our hog roaster.

Greg Krull wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>haleysgold wrote:</div>
Take a look at their price list! It’s either outdated or very cheap! Just an example is $60 to butcher a beef and $30 for a pig. THAT is really hard to believe.

Anybody else their pricelist and thought Holy Hanna that’s crazy cheap??!!

Butcher and process are different things. When we get our beef processed, there is a line item for the butchering. Then separate lines for items. Grinding/processing roasts,steaks,jerky, sliced dried beef, processing and packaging organs, etc

Way back as a youth, your local butcher would kill, gut, and skin a hog and slice it in half down the spine for $20 for us to put on our hog roaster.

They charge to grind and package hamburger but steaks and roasts are included in butchering.
M. Best didn’t say he had any specialty items like jerky or dried beef. Processing is the specialty items and yeah, separate line items. And he sure as hell didn’t have any of that made for the price he paid.

As a youth? Well let’s just say everthing was a lot cheaper when I was kid. A gallon of gas was less than a buck. Not very relevant imo.

All I had made was roast, steaks and burger done.
I agree it seemed very weird to me as well. Now unless the slip was wrong with the weight provided that’s what we paid and what we got.

I was expecting to pay more and not have that much meat.

Well to be fair and give credit where it’s past due. Gasoline was less than a buck just a couple short years ago.

If we would have kept that program going it would probably be around .79/gallon now.

Oh well

Leftysrconfused wrote:

Well to be fair and give credit where it’s past due. Gasoline was less than a buck just a couple short years ago.

I don’t think so unless 30 years is a couple short years ago in your definition.

It went over a buck in about 1980 then dropped in the late 80’s but around 1990 it went over a buck and never went below it again.
Google it.

https://www.creditdonkey.com/gas-price-history.html

I don’t need to look up anything.

Gasoline was under $1 per gallon during the Trump administration. It wasn’t under $1 for the yearly average but it surely was for a month or better.

Fact.

According to your link the average for 1999 was $1.17. I could see that being true. However I do know it was under $1.00 in 1999 at least for a period of time anyway. I am referencing NE Iowa.

Leftysrconfused wrote:

If we would have kept that program going it would probably be around .79/gallon now.

By “program” you must mean stay at home orders because of a new respiratory Chinese virus. No, we don’t need to keep that program going.

Haha good one. Apparently supply and demand only works 1 way.

By program I meant to be 100%+ energy independent. Maybe even sell a bit to help make things great for all.

Leftysrconfused wrote:

I don’t need to look up anything.

Gasoline was under $1 per gallon during the Trump administration. It wasn’t under $1 for the yearly average but it surely was for a month or better.

Fact.

COVID reduced auto travel dramatically in 2020/2021. Which likely drove gas prices down, reduced travel or the Trump presidency?

Brad Dimond wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Leftysrconfused wrote:</div>
I don’t need to look up anything.

Gasoline was under $1 per gallon during the Trump administration. It wasn’t under $1 for the yearly average but it surely was for a month or better.

Fact.

COVID reduced auto travel dramatically in 2020/2021. Which likely drove gas prices down, reduced travel or the Trump presidency?

Not declaring war on the fossil fuel industry helped too.

Leftysrconfused wrote:

Haha good one. Apparently supply and demand only works 1 way.

By program I meant to be 100%+ energy independent. Maybe even sell a bit to help make things great for all.

What exactly are you suggesting? Are you suggesting that the government have total control over our energy sales and production? How exactly to you tell an oil giant who they can sell their oil to?

BTW, the US has been exporting more oil than its been importing for a couple years now.

Well Biden released our strategic oil reserves to China so that is an issue.

CaptainMusky wrote:

Well Biden released our strategic oil reserves to China so that is an issue.

So did 45 in 2017.

And it was an issue then too.

biggill wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Leftysrconfused wrote:</div>
Haha good one. Apparently supply and demand only works 1 way.

By program I meant to be 100%+ energy independent. Maybe even sell a bit to help make things great for all.

What exactly are you suggesting? Are you suggesting that the government have total control over our energy sales and production? How exactly to you tell an oil giant who they can sell their oil to?

BTW, the US has been exporting more oil than its been importing for a couple years now.

Wait a minute now. You have converted me to a liberal. I don’t take questions any longer buddy.