Beef prices are surging nationwide, with the average price of ground beef reaching $6.69 per pound in January, leading to concerns about the stability of the market.
Travis Meckel has spent his entire life in the ranching business — and he hopes one day to pass that legacy on to his daughters.
Meckel runs Meckel Family Beef Company, where his focus is on raising cattle and encouraging customers to buy local. He says purchasing beef directly from ranchers can make a significant difference for families trying to manage grocery costs.
“I know what it costs to buy beef in the store — a package at a time, a steak at a time — versus buying from your local farmer or rancher,» Meckel said. «It’s thousands and thousands of dollars cheaper to buy local.»
Beef prices surge nationwide
Beef prices, however, are climbing to historic levels. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average price of ground beef in January reached $6.69 per pound nationwide.
Meanwhile, in Texas, cattle weighing between 500 and 600 pounds are averaging around $450 per hundredweight as of mid-February.
Sid Miller, the Texas Agriculture Commissioner, says rebuilding the nation’s cattle herd is critical to stabilizing the market.
“We’ve got to do something to grow our cattle herd back,» Miller said. «Importing beef from Argentina is a temporary fix at best, and it actually makes our agriculture trade deficit worse.»
Temporary import deal raises concerns
Earlier this month, President Donald Trump struck a temporary agreement to increase beef imports from Argentina in an effort to ease rising prices.
According to Miller, the cattle supply shortage is putting pressure on Texas barbecue restaurants.
“A lot of these barbecue places are feeling the crunch; there’s a few of them that have closed,» said Miller. «We just can’t charge our customers enough to make a profit.’”