How does a city dweller like me get into a deal like that? I have an empty chest freezer in the garage.

What should I be paying for a processed side of beef?

I sold a few to members here via the classified section. Last years harvest came out very tasty. I only have one steer lined up this year but may have a cow or two if they dont produce well this go around.

A little internal talk, one of the big 4 I consult with has worked tirelessly to keep their margins the same on protein. I know we want to blame the big disassembly/packers, but some are trying to do the right thing

That speciality market exists now. It has lowest barriers to entry and lowest market cap. It’s also has pretty tight margins because of your now low stocking rates, lower growth weights and low volume processing. You won’t have many synergies, but the direct to consumer model has lots of appeal as it’s growing exponentially.

If you are going to do it I would highly suggest adding Akuuski(similar) to help your growth weights and even appearance of grading

I've been following some of these outfits, led to finding my new favorite podcast, the 6 Ranch, hunting and ranching both! I've been converting some wheat ground over back to range, might be a good fit for this in the near future. I do like what those Akaushi's bring to the table, been looking at those, maybe in a cross bred with Red Angus and Crillo's. Those Crillo's and even Corrientes have been showing some interesting things with some other grass fed, direct marketing outfits.

IMO

It's two fold as it's a cattle population and market owner ship. As US human population grows our cattle numbers decline. Remember the mad cow scare in late 90’s? That caused a shift in weights coming out if the feedlots. Mad cow at that time had never been found in a cow under 2 years. So you saw a sublte shift in cows finishing younger. Which meant less yield. To over come this, and a perceived cow shortage, USDA allowed higher importation of Non-US beef and a labeling change. To be far we have been declining in cattle numbers since 1980’s, but more of a trend them then a fall off if that makes sense. If beef prices followed inflation or no substituting from out of country, I personally don't think cattle numbers would be trending down, as the incentive to grow and keep a herd would be there. This is even with habitat fragmentation. But nonetheless cattle numbers is the number one issue. If you can import cheaper then buy local, you can slowly deter local incentive to produce.

Number two is, In the mean time while we started importing beef, JBS bought about half the US feedlot capacity via 5 rivers and a few other independents. Now add in that just 4 companies control 74% of processing, and you start seeing some dangerous synergies.

When you can influence feeder market from start to finish you can cause shortages for other smaller processors, which can be considered price fixing. You can also influence or deter retained ownership of yearlings coming into the feeder system via pricing, which is also price fixing. Essentially you can set the feeder market at both ends of process since you control the processing too. Now add in the fact you are can import any time to supplement demand, and you have a pretty fail safe go-to market strategy.

Again It didn't happen over night, covid just highlighted it, JBS had record profits in 20/21 as cattle prices stay stagnant but consumers prices have risen exponentially. You know what else trended up the n 20/21 imported beef.
.

I grew up in a large feedlot, and still run a few potloads every years, and in all my life I've never had a feeder finish the feedlot and not get bought.


This has been 40 years in the making, the ranchers have been yelling about it. it just hit the consumers so now it's being questioned



I wrote all this on iPhone mini so please pardon grammatical issues. Between font size, finger size and evil auto-correct I'm doomed.