Beef Still Top Protein Pt 1
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson. Despite significant economic pressures like inflation and higher beef prices, consumer demand for beef is at an all-time high.
Mike Simone, executive director of market research and intelligence at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, says consumers are still buying a lot of beef …
SIMONE … “Consumers have stuck with us. Record sales this past year of over 40 billion, with a B, in beef sales, which is over half or about 55 percent of beef accounts for total fresh meat, and about six billion in pounds in terms of volume of sales, so not quite a record. We've had a little bit more volume sales in the past, but still pretty remarkable numbers, so consumers have stuck with us.
A year ago, Simone says we didn't quite think that would be the case with tighter supplies, contraction of the herd, and fewer cattle going to harvest …
SIMONE … “There are heavier cattle now. They're staying on feed longer, so greater weights and an increase in imports helped to offset the losses in the total number of head going to harvest, so that kind of buoyed the market.”
But Simone says they love their beef …
SIMONE … “Consumers have stuck with us so far. They love their beef. They continue to purchase it, despite the higher prices, and remarkable growth heading into 2025 right out of the chute, here.”
Tune in tomorrow for more on beef, still the number one protein for consumers.
