alexfarms
Well-known member
I'm posting an excerpt from Bill Helmings newsletter that I received earlier this week. He's been talking about how changes need to be made within the beef industry because of the increasing demand for hamburger and the decreasing demand for higher value cuts and I'm curious what all ideas for changes any of you have:
"If the U.S. beef industry does not change course and implement ways to reduce significantly the cost and price of beef to the average U.S. consumer in the years ahead, consumer beef demand, consumption and market share will continue to decline in the years ahead as will beef cattle inventory numbers. As I have extensively documented and written and talked about over the past five years, the consumer demand and consumption of ground beef is going north (the U.S. hamburger society) and the consumer demand and consumption of the higher priced beef middle meats is going south. At the same time, the consumption and market share for chicken continues to get better and better. If the U.S. beef industry does not implement ways to significantly reduce the cost of beef to the U.S. consumer starting soon, then within the next 40 to 50 years, the U.S. beef industry will not exist as it does today. Beef will end up then like the U.S. lamb and lobster industries are today, i.e. beef becoming a specialty and luxury product for relatively very few Americans and consumers. The U.S. beef industry's business model is broken."
"If the U.S. beef industry does not change course and implement ways to reduce significantly the cost and price of beef to the average U.S. consumer in the years ahead, consumer beef demand, consumption and market share will continue to decline in the years ahead as will beef cattle inventory numbers. As I have extensively documented and written and talked about over the past five years, the consumer demand and consumption of ground beef is going north (the U.S. hamburger society) and the consumer demand and consumption of the higher priced beef middle meats is going south. At the same time, the consumption and market share for chicken continues to get better and better. If the U.S. beef industry does not implement ways to significantly reduce the cost of beef to the U.S. consumer starting soon, then within the next 40 to 50 years, the U.S. beef industry will not exist as it does today. Beef will end up then like the U.S. lamb and lobster industries are today, i.e. beef becoming a specialty and luxury product for relatively very few Americans and consumers. The U.S. beef industry's business model is broken."