HAMBURG, N.Y. (WKBW)— Beef prices are climbing nationwide, and the impact is being felt across Western New York.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, beef prices have increased more than eight percent since the start of the year.
Kyle Fleener, owner of B&K Cattle Company in Dillsburg, Pennsylvania, says prices for everything from cows and calves to bulls have jumped, and grocery store meat is no exception.
“Even just hamburger has gone up significantly,” Fleener said. “It’s super beneficial for people to seek out local farmers, to try to buy quarters, halves and wholes. That way you can help the local people, and you know what you’re getting.”
At the Erie County Fair, 4-H member Paige Loomis from Collins, New York, says the price spike is changing participation in certain programs. She noted that fewer people are raising steers because selling a calf can be just as profitable as selling a full-grown animal without the added cost of raising it.
Former 4-H member Alyssa Williams, of Little Valley, New York, says steer prices at the Cattaraugus County Fair were significantly higher than last year — a benefit for sellers, but part of a broader trend driven by higher feed, grain, and supply costs.
Fleener says beef prices vary by region but expects them to peak eventually. Until then, many in the industry are adapting their operations to weather the changes while encouraging consumers to buy local and support agriculture close to home.
