# US meat prices signal strain in beef, stability elsewhere | MEAT+POULTRY

> Economists at the American Farm Bureau Federation's Market Intel analyzed retail meat prices ahead of Memorial Day. USDA data show the national average retail price of all-fresh beef hit a record $9.64 per pound in April, up about 13% year over year. The report attributes the gain to the smallest US cattle supply in 75 years.

- Date: 2026-05-22 · published 2026-05-22T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: market · region US · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/19420-us-meat-prices-signal-strain-in-beef-stability-elsewhere-meat-poultry
- Commodities: [Live Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/LCATTLE.md)

## Why it matters

Tight cattle inventories keep beef retail prices at records, supporting live cattle values while pushing consumers toward pork and chicken.

## Read by commodity

- LCATTLE: bullish ▲

## Sources

- meatpoultry.com: https://www.meatpoultry.com/articles/33566-us-meat-prices-signal-strain-in-beef-stability-elsewhere

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.