Beef prices in the US are at record highs, adding to the strain on families already squeezed by inflation. Ground beef prices have quadrupled over the past 25 years, and steak is up 10 percent this year alone, driven by fewer ranchers, smaller herds and a supply chain with little room for drought or disease. Cattle numbers are now at a 75-year low.
Critics say bringing prices down will take time. Butcher Jamie, in the industry for 45 years, says costs keep creeping up as many hands touch the product along the way. Dean argues ranchers do not want government intervention, warning that short-term fixes can cause market overreactions and undermine incentives to rebuild America's herd.
Al Jazeera's Katelin Meredith reports from Monkton, Maryland.
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