Meat Price Spreads

This data set provides monthly average price values, and the differences among those values, at the farm, wholesale, and retail stages of the production and marketing chain for all the meat produced by Choice-grade steers and hogs. This data set allows one to compare the values of animals at the farm, at the packing plant, and in the grocery store. The data set also includes wholesale and retail values for broilers. In addition, retail prices are provided for beef and pork cuts, turkey, whole chickens, eggs, and dairy products. These data are summary statistics meant to measure national average prices.

These data are released monthly. Price spreads for Choice beef and pork are reported for last 6 years, 12 quarters, and 24 months. The retail price file provides monthly estimates for the last 24 months. The historical file provides monthly data since 1970.

Retail prices and values are based on data provided by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Livestock and wholesale meat and poultry prices are derived from U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service reports.

People have used the retail values in this data set as a measure of the costs of beef and pork to consumers. The data also show the farmer’s share of the retail costs of Choice beef and pork.

Farm-to-consumer price spreads for other foods can be found in the Price Spreads from Farm to Consumer dataset.