Buy a Year’s Supply of High-Quality Beef for Your Family
In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, meat processing plants experienced backlogs, which disrupted the beef market. According to National Geographic, “cattle ranchers face upwards of $13 billion in losses.” While restaurants were shut down the demand for beef lowered. Thousands of ranchers had countless cows that were ready to be butchered, but couldn’t because of the decrease in production. Markets are still recovering from these disruptions.
Meanwhile consumers experienced empty grocery store shelves and increasing prices. Many have begun to ask if there is a better way.
Many of our ranching consulting clients have asked us to explore ways to sell high-quality beef directly to the consumer from the rancher. Our analysis suggests this would be the best way for customers to secure a long-term supply of high-quality beef at a fraction of the prices that you pay at the grocery store. Buying direct from the rancher also gives the rancher a stronger return that will promote local rural economies.
We have partnered with several ranchers who are willing to sell a limited number of their herds in bulk directly to the customer. We have arranged an USDA authorized butcher to process the animals. We are currently accepting reservations for bulk purchase of either half beef or a whole beef.
In order to comply with food safety regulations, you have to purchase the live animal from the rancher. Don’t worry, this just means the brand is transfered to your name, shortly before being sent to the processor. The butcher then processes the animal for you, and arrangements can be made to receive the processed beef.
Since every animal is a different size the cost of buying beef in bulk is variable. However, these costs give a range of what to plan for:
$4.00/lb – Hanging Weight (plan on hanging weight being 60% of a 1200 lb. animal)
$65 – Slaughter Fee
$75 – Administrative Fee/Delivery
$.68/lb hanging weight – for butcher to process, age, cut, and wrap the meet. Price difference is based on whether you do paper or plastic wrapping.
Prices don’t include sales tax, or delivery charges.
Let’s assume the hanging weight of an animal is 800 lbs. In this case you would pay $1600 for a half beef, $307 for processing and wrapping. For $1900 you could have a freezer full of meat to feed your family for months. This comes out at $4.75 a lb. A half beef will include whatever cuts you want and whatever isn’t included as specialty cuts will be ground beef. Most specialty cuts are over $8.00 a lb. and ground beef is currently selling for $4.00 a lb. If you consider that this is high-quality, grass-fed beef, you won’t find a better deal.