PROCTOR, AR (abc24.com) – Where's the beef? The cost of burgers and steaks have been on the rise, due to higher demand overseas and bad weather affecting cattle farmers in the U.S. It's forcing many in the Mid-South to leave the beef in the store.
To understand why beef prices are soaring at local grocery stores, you need an understanding of what's happening at cattle farms. Dannie Daughhetee is just one of thousands of cattle farmers feeling the pinch from last summer's drought. It killed crops, scorched grass and drove up prices for cattle feed.
“We've been buying mill feed for 35 to 50 dollars a ton, that same mill feed today is about 140 dollars a ton,” Daughhetee said.
In turn that drove up the cost of cows about 30 percent more than last year.
It used to take 80 head of cows to turn a profit. Now it takes 150. The cost of cattle farming has risen so high that many have had to cut back.
“Usually we keep around 80 head of cows, now we're down to about 25 head,” Daughhetee said.
While Dannie is feeling the pinch on his farm, shoppers like Sandra Covington are feeling the pinch at grocery stores.
She said she's not only noticed the higher prices, but also “the quality sometimes isn't as great as it used to be to me.”
Steep cattle prices are expected to climb higher in 2012 and there's chance they could stick around even longer.
The only recourse: Pray for rain this summer.
