Even in the face of surging grocery prices, retail beef and pork prices cause sticker shock

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

As food prices continue to rise, beef and pork have surged out front.

Overall food prices rose 0.4 percent from March, and are up 1 percent from a year ago, according to data released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis on Friday. The price of pork soared 2.6 percent in the month of April and 4.8 percent from a year ago, adjusting for seasonality. And while beef and veal prices stayed fairly flat for the month, they are up 3.3 percent from a year ago.

In a season that routinely sees increased demand for beef and pork, this goes far beyond people excited to get back outside to barbecue.

Michael Nepveux, an economist for the American Farm Bureau Federation, ticks off the factors contributing to skyrocketing prices: Labor shortages in the meatpacking industry on the heels of months of slowdowns and shutdowns due to covid-19; a surge in restocking food service as restaurants reopen; high grain and transportation costs; and strong exports and domestic demand.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/05/29/beef-pork-retail-prices-skyrocket/

[Treefrog]

1. Meat is really not good for us.

Maybe it will make some reconsider.

[Happy Hoosier]

4. Old thinking.

Meat is fine for you, in moderation. Given my metabolism, it’s carbs that are the problem. My health had improved tremendously since cut way back in carbs, but I can enjoy meat and dairy just fine in moderation.

[edhopper]

6. Maybe he means

the way we raise meat is not good for us.

[ShazamIam]

10. I agree and there is a long running push to cut U.S. meat eating, it is worth much more to the

global 1 per centers, who equal in number our total population. There is also the gross environmental problems with the corporate ag production methods right down to the despicable working conditions of the people who do the chicken, beef, pork and other cutting.

The same group is negotiating with UK to allow our antibiotic, hormone and glyphosate laced meat products into that market, I think the EU bans a lot of U.S. Ag due to chemicals and animal husbandry practicies.

[DenaliDemocrat]

13. Well, UK feeding bone meal to cattle

Certainly caused some problems didn’t it? I Just purchased half a Holstein steer finished on TMR rations. It’s nice beef. A bit beefier in flavor than a beef steer only fed corn and a mouthful of hay to avoid the scours. Well marbled, would likely grade out high choice or low prime. Nice to know that the steer didn’t go to veal either

[Happy Hoosier]

14. That's a different argument.

I’m addressing the unqualified claim that eating meat is bad for you. It isn’t.

[ret5hd]

15. Not eating meat isn't bad for you either.

[Happy Hoosier]

30. I never said otherwise. Cheers!

[LongtimeAZDem]

21. +1

[DBoon]

17. I would change that to say eating less meat would benefit many of us

[smirkymonkey]

22. I have cut down significantly on my meat consumption.

And have kind of replaced it with legumes (different kinds of beans, lentils, chickpeas/hummus, peas, etc.) and vegetables. I make a lot of soups and stews with them, so they go a long way. Very filling, nutritious and best of all, not expensive.

I am not a vegetarian, but I am just trying to be a little more conscientious about what i am eating for a number of reasons.

[womanofthehills]

25. Problem with eating lots of legumes - highest foods in glyphosate

Unless they are organic.

[smirkymonkey]

28. Damn! I had never heard of this. Thanks for the info.

I mostly use WF 365 Brand Organic canned legumes, which are not supposed to be treated w/ any glyphosate, however I looked it up and found that WF hummus and my favorite Sabra hummus both have high levels of glyphosate. Damn! I love hummus. I might have to get a mini food processor and start making my own.

I sometimes wonder if there is anything safe left to eat. Animal products are bad, plants are loaded with pesticides, how do we find things that aren't bad for us? I live in a city or else i would have my own garden like we did when I was growing up.

[Happy Hoosier]

31. Beans are high in carbs...

But also high in fiber. They are fine for non-diabetics (and I love them), but for those of us managing blood glucose, we mist be careful of the carbs.

[tirebiter]

2. I live near a meat market with the lowest prices in the county.

Had some sliders a couple hours ago.

[womanofthehills]

24. I live in cattle county with a meat processing plant in our small town

Nothing like local grass fed beef.

[Chainfire]

3. My local grocery store is now offering friendly financing on meat products.

[Hortensis]

29. Oh, wow. I could use that. Do they do layaway?

[Ron Green]

5. Let's get used to the high meat prices, and ban CAFO's and other

industrial food operations while we’re at it. The animals we eat should be treated well, even loved, in their lives and honored in their deaths. Hence their meat ought to cost a lot and we should eat it on special occasions.

[womanofthehills]

26. Agree - I will not eat beef that's not grass fed

I only eat chicken that is organic and can run in a pasture. Organic chicken has thinner skin and much less fat. The taste is a gazillion times better than commercial caged chickens and the chickens are treated humanely. I have nine chickens I feed organically for eggs.

[rgbecker]

7. Prices vary at my local Stop and Shop by 20 -50% week to week depending on Sales.

You can pay 4.99/lb. for pork chops or 1.99...just watch for the deals...buy the value packs and freeze half...

Not concerned about 4% increase in a year.

[greenjar_01]

8. A 4.2 percent increase on 4.99/lb is .20 a pound

How much pork are people buying that 20 cents a pound is some devastating price increase?

[rgbecker]

9. Right now the killer is $10 for a $3 two by four.

Yet people here are going for additions, rebuilds and whole houses like they have money to burn.

[doc03]

11. Overall food prices rose .4% from March up 1% from

a year ago. What we paid 1.00 dollar for last year is now $1.01. that would be a $1.00 increase on a $100.00 order.
What we paid $20.00 for pork last year is now $20.95 and $20.00 of beef is now $20.66. I don't think I will starve to death
any time soon.

[roamer65]

12. Prices need to rise to cut consumption.

This is an issue of finite resources on a dying planet. Less consumption equals a better future for your offspring.

[captain queeg]

16. I worked in a meat market as a kid. Back in the 70s good ground chuck was 99 cents/lb

I think in general food prices have not gone up nearly as much as other stuff. Cars and homes have gone up at least 10X in that time. Though electronics have barely gone up at all in many cases. I bought a 25” Color TV, I think it was about $500 back then. Much cheaper now.

[LongtimeAZDem]

20. Quite true; $.99 in 1978 would be $4.23 today, so it's pretty much the same real cost

[Hekate]

18. If cost's a problem, stores with rotisserie chickens generally sell them as a sort of loss leader...

...banking on making their real money from side dishes like potato salad, cole slaw, and rolls.

I rarely if ever buy the sides, and find that one chicken feeds the two of us several times, plus there’s bone broth.

But if I were cooking for a family that expected beef or pork, or gods forbid, trying to purchase meat for a restaurant, it would be a real problem.

[NJCher]

19. one serving of plant-based "meat"

240 calories
uses 87% less water
89% less emissions
96% less land

i love the plant burgers.

[womanofthehills]

27. It's been reported that the plant burgers have high levels of glyphosate

Mostly made with non organic GMO legumes

[NJCher]

32. I'm researching this

and will be bbl with what I find, but in the meantime, I thank you for the tip. I see it is indeed an issue and what's worse, it's not just the plant based meats, it's all kinds of products, many of which I know are in my kitchen cabinet. This web site, which appears credible and which documents its list, categorizes items that have glyphosate. Here are some examples, but there is way more at the link:

Food Democracy Now! and The Detox Project (source):
– Original Cheerios
– Honey Nut Cheerios
– Wheaties
– Trix
– Annie’s Gluten Free Bunny Cookies Cocoa & Vanilla
– Kellog’s Corn Flakes
– Kellog’s Raisin Bran
– Kashi Organic Promise
– Kellog’s Special K
– Kellog’s Frosted Flakes
– Cheez-It Original
– Cheez-It Whole Grain
– Kashi Soft Bake Cookies, Oatmeal, Dark Chocolate
– Ritz Crackers
– Triscuit Crackers
– Oreo Original
– Oreo Double Stuf Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
– Oreo Double Stuf Golden Sandwich Cookies
– Stacy’s Simply Naked Pita Chips (Frito-Lay)
– Lay’s: Kettle Cooked Original
– Doritos: Cool Ranch
– Fritos (Original) (100% Whole Grain)
– Goldfish crackers original (Pepperidge Farm)
– Goldfish crackers colors
– Goldfish crackers Whole Grain
– Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pies
– Oatmeal Cookies Gluten Free
– 365 Organic Golden Round Crackers
– Back to Nature Crispy Cheddar Crackers

source: https://livelovefruit.com/glyphosate-in-food-complete-list/

See link for more extensive list, including wines.

As a gardener, I have NEVER used glyphosate, so this is extremely disturbing news. I now see a cleanout of my kitchen cabinets and a revised shopping list in my future.

[DFW]

23. I'll take your word for it

I have serious cholesterol issues, and had to cut out mammal meat 20 years ago. „If it walked on four legs, don‘t eat it.“

As it is, the prices for fresh fish have been daunting for years now.