CHATTANOOGA, Tenn — Beef prices are climbing across the country, but cattle farmers in Hamilton County say the impact is hitting especially hard as the U.S. herd reaches its smallest size in more than 70 years.
Beef prices have surged more than 60 percent since 2020 as supply struggles to keep up with demand. The USDA reported an average ground beef price in November of more than six dollars a pound, a record high.
National experts say several factors are driving the increase. The U.S. beef cattle herd has shrunk to levels not seen in decades, and recent economic policies have limited beef imports from countries such as Brazil. The American Farm Bureau Federation says farmers are seeing higher costs even as demand remains strong and the supply of beef heifers continues to fall.
Local farmers are seeing those challenges firsthand…