Price of beef in Alberta keeps rising, cost linked to cow supply: economist
In a post on ATB Financial's website this week, the financial institution's deputy chief economist said the increased costs faced by beef consumers are linked to high consumer demand coupled with the decreasing number of cows across the country.
He added that because rebuilding the herd will take time, 'beef prices are likely to stay elevated for some time to come.'
'According to Statistics Canada, the Canadian cattle herd hasn't been as small as it was at the start of 2025 since 1988 (1994 in Alberta),' Rob Roach wrote.
'In the United States, the cattle herd is the smallest it has been in 73 years.'
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Cattle stand in a pasture on a farm in Alberta Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
Roach noted Statistics Canada data reveals that the average price of cattle for slaughter in Alberta was 14 per cent higher in April compared to the same time last year, while the price of cattle for feeding was 26 per cent higher.
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'In both cases, the monthly price was the highest it has ever been,' he wrote.
The finance chair of a non-profit that represents Alberta beef producers told Global News on Thursday that the people her organization represents have been dealing with the challenges of inflation, drought and wildfires in the last few years.
Brenda Rosadiuk of Alberta Beef Producers said some farmers' pastures have burned in wildfires.
'You don't have the forage for your cattle (if it burns),' she explained. 'Your hay land isn't producing.
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'It affects your feed (because) you still cover the same amount of land to make your hay. You still have those input costs but you're not getting the production.'
Rosadiuk said while Alberta producers are grateful when beef prices are up, they realize there are 'difficult decisions for shoppers now when they go to the grocery store.'
'You have to make good budget decisions,' she acknowledged of the challenges facing consumers.
'The high prices are a boon for the cow/calf sector but can be challenging for the feedlot and packing sectors,' Roach wrote.
For people still wanting to eat beef but on a budget, Rosadiuk recommended buying cheaper cuts of beef and then slow cooking them to make them more tender.
— with files from Global News' Erik Bay
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