logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2025
9m 13s

Why beef prices are so high

NPR
About this episode

Beef is getting more expensive, and it doesn’t look as though that’s going to change any time soon. That’s the view of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, which wrote in its Beige Book entry this month that the trend of rising beef prices continues. There’s solid demand for beef, but falling supply, as production decreases. Ranchers are making more per cow, but their costs are rising. We speak with a rancher in Wyoming to learn what high beef prices mean for him and other ranchers. 

Related episodes: 
What happened to US farmers during the last trade war 
How USAID cuts hurt American farmers 

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.  

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy

Up next
Today
How ending TPS is squeezing workers, businesses and (soon) consumers
What happens when roughly a million people working legally in the U.S. suddenly lose that right to stay here? We’re starting to find out in places like Miami, Florida, home to one of the largest Haitian communities in the country. There, we talk to people on what the end of Tempo ... Show More
9m 6s
Yesterday
Why we're short on blood, water and helium
Shortages are in the news again! Here’s why the supply of blood, water and helium are at concerningly low levels.Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.Your Next Listen — How Colorado towns are trying to get some water certaintyConnect with The Indicator — Sign up for The Indicator’s wee ... Show More
9m 19s
Aug 3
Who is a music industry plant? And does it matter?
Musicians from the Rolling Stones to up-and-coming pop star Bella Kay have one thing in common: Influencers are being paid to promote their songs. On today's show: Who is an industry plant and why does it matter? Fact checking by Tyler Jones. Your Next Listen — Two Indicators: th ... Show More
9m 7s
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2022
‘Who Do You Want Controlling Your Food?’
<p>During the pandemic, the price of beef shot up. Wholesale beef prices increased more than 40 percent — more than 70 percent for certain cuts of steak. </p><p>The conventional wisdom was that price increases simply reflected the chaos that the coronavirus had caused in the supp ... Show More
53m 59s
Oct 2024
Beef market outlook what it means for beef on dairy programs (Sponsored Podcast)
<p>Dairy farmers are reaping the benefits of current high prices for dairy-beef crossbred calves thanks to historically lower cattle replacements and strong beef demand. Opportunities for beef-on-dairy strategies remain strong, especially beef embryo-based programs. Feeders and p ... Show More
29m 26s
Apr 2023
Argentina: Still a nation of beef lovers?
The South American country is famous for its steaks, ribs, and milanesa. It is the second largest home market for beef in the world, and the fifth biggest exporter. But with soaring inflation, this much loved staple is becoming unaffordable for ordinary people.We look at the coun ... Show More
18m 11s
Oct 2024
Why the ‘expensive fast food’ era will never end
The burger, a staple of American fast food, is quickly becoming a big ticket item. Inflation along with many factors ailing the farming and ranching processes ar emaking your regular cheap fast food burger cost a lot more. So what will it take to get burger prices down, and will ... Show More
16m 4s
Aug 2019
The Future of Meat (Rebroadcast)
<p>Global demand for beef, chicken, and pork continues to rise. So do concerns about environmental and other costs. Will reconciling these two forces be possible — or, even better, Impossible™?</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz ... Show More
53m 16s
Mar 2022
The cost of growing food
Global fertiliser prices are reaching record highs, as supplies from Russia, one of the world’s largest exporters dry up. As the war in Ukraine intensifies there are warnings of food shortages as farmers struggle to get hold of fertilisers and starting to rationing its use. Soybe ... Show More
17m 29s
Oct 2022
Can farmers influence food prices?
Global food prices reached record highs this year due to a combination of factors including the war in Ukraine, rising energy prices and poor harvests. Prices are now falling, but remain higher than last year. In this programme Ruth Alexander talks to three farmers on three diffe ... Show More
27m 31s