Interesting post from a pig farmer in Washington state about rising meat prices due to the drought.
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'I') watch the price of inputs (which is farmer-jargon for "stuff you have to buy") and I watch market prices of finished animals, and there are two things that are being very odd this year: Meat prices and feed prices.
The first thing that struck me is that finished meats are at the highest prices I've ever seen. If you own a beef cow right you you are, in a market-price sense, a very happy camper. Beef prices are VERY high right now, and it's caused the prices of most cows to jump quite a bit....
Pork is likewise high; the pig market in Washington state isn't as developed, but I've started to see auction prices that I consider pretty reasonable (as someone who sells pork). a 280lb finished pig is getting $200-225 at auction, which is lower than my cost of production, but is a vast improvement over $90 for that same size pig 2 years ago. I'm seeing more no-sales at the auction from pig producers, which I appreciate.
This is based on higher feed costs, a substantial and sustained drought in beef production areas (Midwest and south) and trends that have reduced the supply of both pigs and cattle.
The drought is making feeding cattle and hogs more expensive, and it forced cattle producers to reduce their herds over the last few years. Both of those mean that the US cattle herd is at the lowest number it has been since the 1950s! ...
What would I do if I were a consumer?
I'd seriously consider buying a whole or half a beef RIGHT NOW or this fall. Buy before the prices rise. A whole or half will last you for up to 18 months, and your freezer allows you to reduce your beef prices. Buy a good cow now and save yourself some money.
Buy a whole or half pig soon. You're already seeing pork prices at $3/lb for the lower value cuts in the supermarket -- a whole or half pig purchase will usually cost you around that, and you get the higher value cuts, too. The local producers are slower to figure out the feed cost issue, so you've got an opportunity to buy prior to price increase.