KSHB 41 reporter Ryan Gamboa covers Miami County in Kansas and Cass County in Missouri. He also covers agricultural topics. Share your story idea with Ryan.
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Beef prices have reached all-time highs heading into Memorial Day weekend, but shoppers at a Kansas City, Kansas, butcher shop say they are not ready to give up the grill.
"The beef prices have hit all time highs," Joe Bichelmeyer, owner of Bichelmeyer Meats in Kansas City, Kansas, said.
The nation's cattle population has fallen to a 75-year low, driven by years of drought, pushing prices higher at the meat counter.
A recent American Farm Bureau report indicates Americans are eating more meat than ever. Industry analysis shows meat sales hit a record high of $112 billion in 2025, with 98% of American households buying meat for daily meals.
Shopper Andrew Valle said he has noticed the price increases, but he has not abandoned beef entirely.
"Between chicken and beef, I've always been a beef person most of my life," Valle said.
Valle said he has started mixing in more chicken as a cheaper option, but the pull of beef remains strong.
"Honestly, it's just the craving you know?" Valle said.
Chelsea Barlow, a mother of four shopping at Bichelmeyer Meats, said she is adjusting her grocery budget to keep meat on the table.
"I just think that everything is so expensive," Barlow said.
Rather than cutting meat from her cart, Barlow said she is making trade-offs elsewhere.
"I think I am just adjusting with the other things that I purchase. Instead of buying so much snacks, I am focusing on what's actually good for my family," Barlow said. "Meat is protein — it's good for us and so that's what I want to spend my money on."
According to data from the USDA and the American Farm Bureau Federation, retail beef is up 13% from last year, averaging nearly $10 a pound at $9.64.
Pork is up only a couple percent, coming in near $4.25 a pound at $4.33.
Chicken prices have actually dropped less than 1%, averaging $4.17 per pound.
Bichelmeyer said pork and poultry offer shoppers real savings this holiday weekend.
"There are options, and cost per serving is less on some of those things," Bichelmeyer said.
He also noted that buying in bulk can help reduce the cost per pound compared to retail counter prices.
Despite the alternatives, Bichelmeyer said the demand for beef is not going anywhere.
"People always seem to want to come back to beef," Bichelmeyer said.
He said steaks, ground beef, sausages and party pigs are all in demand, and that strong export markets for American beef products are contributing to the elevated prices, alongside domestic appetite.
"People have the appetite for the beef that the U.S. cattle producers produce, and other countries have that same appetite for U.S. beef. So, it's a worldwide market that we supply, therefore all of us have to pay the price for the increased demand," Bichelmeyer said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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