What Snapped? US Ground Beef Retail Prices Jump Most Since Covid Meatpacking Crisis

The latest data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reveals that monthly retail ground beef prices just recorded their most significant increase since early 2020, a period in time when major meat processing companies were shuttering plants nationwide. Prices of retail ground beef per pound jumped to new highs in June, with data going back to 2008. This is more bad news for the middle class, which is under severe financial pressure with elevated inflation and high interest rates, resulting in a pullback in consumer spending ahead of the presidential elections this fall.

Let’s start with the 6.294% rise in June’s retail ground beef prices, marking the largest monthly increase since the 10% spike in May 2020. Back then, the theme was that the closure of packaging plants would crimp production. Now, it’s the summer grilling season as US cattle inventory plunges to the smallest size in 73 years.