Ground Beef Over $4 per pound

[dado potato]

Our local supermarket is selling 85% lean ground beef for $4.09 per lb. Same stuff we used to buy in Feb-July for $2.88-2.99 per lb.

That was a pretty quick increase of about 37%. I am told to expect higher prices due to the drought. (I never met a cattleman I didn't like... I fear that the cattleman was already hurting before the beef consumer.)

I suppose the rational response would be to cook more meals based on legumes We still have pulses!

[sweetana3]

There should be a decrease due to increased supply since farmers are sending whole herds to slaughter. This will temporarilly decrease price. However, at some point the prices are going to go way up and it will take a pretty long time to rebuild herds when pasture and feed can be grown again.

Cannot beat supply and demand rules.

Your market may just be trying to increase profits based on news but they are a little early with big price increases.

[awakenedsoul]

I pay $6.00 a lb. for grass fed in California. I only use two pounds per month. It's good quality meat, and I find I can really stretch in in tacos and spaghetti.
My family owned cattle in Northern CA. I remember as a child during the drought, my dad saying they were losing money...
When there was no rain, the cattle couldn't graze. They had to buy more hay.

[ApatheticNoMore]

I pay $6.00 a lb. for grass fed in California.

When that stuff goes on sale for $3.99, that's when I buy my whole birth family beef: I am your rich benefactor, everyone eats on me!!! :)

[puglogic]

It's possible that store might be gouging you, dado. I agree it's too early to be seeing this, I have heard it in multiple places. Do you have a shopping alternative? Supply and demand works that way, too :)

[dado potato]

@puglogic,

If it isn't happening all over, then I would agree: it could be the store socking it to us. In my idyllic community there is one supermarket, one clothing store, 2 banks, 2 hardware stores, 3 gas stations, 2 drugstores.... No Walmart for 60 miles.

[puglogic]

Pulses it is, then, dado! :D We're like awakenedsoul in that we stretch meat a loooong way, treating it more like a condiment than the "anchor" of our plates. When grain and veggie prices go up, though, we'll be feeling it.