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Beef prices too high?

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Sandhusker

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"Johanns said reopening the border was vital for the domestic cattle business. He said beef prices in the United States have risen too high since May 2003, when the border was closed after Canada's first case of mad cow disease."

I'd say it is about time beef prices get a little higher. The Omaha Daily Journal-Stockman on July 21, 1948 reported fats @ $37. At a price of $85 today, it has taken 57 years for the price to rise 230%. That is out of line?

From the same paper on the same date a "like new" 1948 Massey-Harris combine was being offered at $2875. Anybody want to compare that to a combine today? Should we compare autos? How about clothing? Gas?
 
Sandhusker said:
"Johanns said reopening the border was vital for the domestic cattle business. He said beef prices in the United States have risen too high since May 2003, when the border was closed after Canada's first case of mad cow disease."

I'd say it is about time beef prices get a little higher. The Omaha Daily Journal-Stockman on July 21, 1948 reported fats @ $37. At a price of $85 today, it has taken 57 years for the price to rise 230%. That is out of line?

From the same paper on the same date a "like new" 1948 Massey-Harris combine was being offered at $2875. Anybody want to compare that to a combine today? Should we compare autos? How about clothing? Gas?
Click to expand...

For a more accurate comparison, how many calves could an average ranch produce in 1948, and what was their weight at slaughter?

How many acres could that Massey combine in a day?

All things considered I would rather be producing better cattle and farming with newer machinery.

Nice try at divertion though.
 
Jason, "For a more accurate comparison, how many calves could an average ranch produce in 1948, and what was their weight at slaughter?
How many acres could that Massey combine in a day? All things considered I would rather be producing better cattle and farming with newer machinery. Nice try at divertion though."

What's your point, Jason? Those cattle and equipment were the best of the day. What am I diverting from and to?
 
Sandhusker said:
Jason, "For a more accurate comparison, how many calves could an average ranch produce in 1948, and what was their weight at slaughter?
How many acres could that Massey combine in a day? All things considered I would rather be producing better cattle and farming with newer machinery. Nice try at divertion though."

What's your point, Jason? Those cattle and equipment were the best of the day. What am I diverting from and to?
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I guess Jason thinks that everything should go up except the price of cattle. Does he think our gains in efficiency should be the only factor keeping us afloat? What about the price of pastureland? Has it not gone up exponentially? You can only run so many head to the acre no matter the degree of efficiency.
 
And what about fertilizer prices? They are at $250 now! I can remember my Dad fussing when it was $25 per ton. Fuel prices have gone up over 1000% percent too!
 
the problem is that it's the consumer who will tell you when beef prices are too high. all these comparisons are irrelevant. price the beef and consumer acceptance will be the test whether it's high.
 
Mike said:
And what about fertilizer prices? They are at $250 now! I can remember my Dad fussing when it was $25 per ton. Fuel prices have gone up over 1000% percent too!
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Wish I could find it for $250 more like $280 around here and farm use diesel $1.85
gal..............good luck I wish Jason was around here I would put his but to work building fence,get some thing constructive oughta him for once.
 
Back in 1948 it took a lot to buy new machinery, today we are more efficient 1 man running hundreds of cows and thousands of acres.

If the price of beef was at the same level of inflation as everything else no one could afford it.

Fuel and fertilizer is more expensive, but we can get more from a gallon and a ton. Better farming methods have contributed to better efficiency.

As for your fence Haymaker, I do enough of my own, maybe you should be more concerned about Texas cows with BSE than with what I do.
 
Sandhusker, what's your point?

You can want for higher beef prices but as long as consumers have other protein choices and need those extra dollars to buy gas, beef prices will not remain unrealistically high relative to pork and poultry.

Imports get the blame for lower cattle prices while the price of pork and poultry stares you in the face at the meat counter.

Imports are not our competition, CHEAPER DOMESTIC PORK AND POULTRY ARE.

Beef has a quality advantage over the other proteins but only when consumers have the money to spend and are willing to spend it on beef.

Do you agree with Mike Callicrate when he says cattle prices have nothing to do with supply and demand that cattle prices are completely arbitrary? If so, why the concern for beef prices?




~SH~
 
Have to agree with SH, and I know little about all this! Except the fact that I can't justify nor afford 7.99 a lb beef steak to feed my family at supper, that would cost me a minimum of 24.00 per supper meal! When I just purchased split chicken breast for .79 lb on sale.
I can get pork ribs/pork steaks for 1.79 a lb or buy ground beef for 2.29 a lb, and so one and so forth. The average working Joe can't or wont spend that kind of money 3-5 times a week, when there are cheaper meats to be had. Alot of the ribeye,new york strips, and filet minon is a specialty meal in most house holds, not a 1-3 times a week dinner item.
Chicken, pork, and fish are a much cheaper alternative. I'm not saying you can't make or deserve to make a living selling your cattle by any means, it's just that it hits a certain level and the average consumer will pick a cheaper source almost every time.
As SH stated every other cost to run a household is up and with cheaper alternatives, thats what people will seek out and buy. I love a great steak as anyone else, just I can't afford them near as often as I would like. I offset my meat bill each year with fish,venison, and antelope. No middle man just my own butcher "me". :D
 
I can't justify nor afford 7.99 a lb beef steak to feed my family at supper, that would cost me a minimum of 24.00 per supper meal!

Yet you buy hamburger that's not all beef an buy ground beef for 2.29 a lb,Not smart.So lets grind the whole animal less offal but lets include heart an liver in your burger,WHAT price will the boned 560#cow be live on the hoof less labor?????Made into whole burger, cow price is$1374.00 at a labor cost of$4. 23 cents per animal.Lot a profit from retail to packer I say!!Could some one validate??//
 
Porker,

If you are so convinced of these "HUGE" packer and retailer profits, isn't it about time to open up "PORKER'S PACKING COMPANY AND BEEF RETAIL OUTLET"?


~SH~
 
The BuschschschWhacker couldn't get the border open in March, so now he sends his messenger boy with a different slant on the price of cattle. Perhaps the issue of escalating health insurance should be addressed, or gasoline at 100% increase over the past 2 years needs to be considered. But, he__ no, cheap food, cheap food. Face it boys he just wants to sell us out.
 
What a bunch of whiners! I really hope for your sakes you producers don't have to go through what Canadian cattle producers have for the last couple of years, thanks to your beloved R Calf and it's groupies, and the "don't care much" attitude of your government!
 
PORKER said:
I can't justify nor afford 7.99 a lb beef steak to feed my family at supper, that would cost me a minimum of 24.00 per supper meal!

Yet you buy hamburger that's not all beef an buy ground beef for 2.29 a lb,Not smart.So lets grind the whole animal less offal but lets include heart an liver in your burger,WHAT price will the boned 560#cow be live on the hoof less labor?????Made into whole burger, cow price is$1374.00 at a labor cost of$4. 23 cents per animal.Lot a profit from retail to packer I say!!Could some one validate??//
Click to expand...

I have to laugh at your claim. I have seen tons and tons of ground beef made. I have never seen anything in the mix but lean beef and 50/50 beef trim. Please clarify where and when you have witnessed liver and heart being placed in ground beef.

A second laugh. Your latter implication about packer profits clearly dislpays how truly little you actaully know. For starters, do you know how much saleable product is derived from a single cow? How much product is actually sold at the retial price? It goes on and on and on.......
 
don said:
the problem is that it's the consumer who will tell you when beef prices are too high. all these comparisons are irrelevant. price the beef and consumer acceptance will be the test whether it's high.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, beef started losing ground to the competing meats in the second quarter of 2004. The consumer has and is continuing to vote today and beef is losing consumer dollars to pork and chicken. Beef demand declined approximately 2% in the first quarter of 2005. It is worse this quarter.
 
Agman- "I have to laugh at your claim. I have seen tons and tons of ground beef made. I have never seen anything in the mix but lean beef and 50/50 beef trim. Please clarify where and when you have witnessed liver and heart being placed in ground beef. "

Agman, I believe that Porker was refering to the difference between product labeled "ground beef" and product labelled "hamburger".
The way it was explained to me is, "ground beef" is indeed ground muscle meat and possibly added fat. "Hamburger" if labelled as such, may contain organ meat and ???????
Is this not correct??? Just asking an honest question. :)
 

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