Historically, the United States produces countless pounds of ground beef per year. Ground beef is derived from cows and is a popular grocery product that people buy in order to keep their meals balanced. It has become a symbol of the American diet. In recent years, ground beef has drastically increased in price, leading people to not purchase it. The rise of ground beef reveals a deeper problem in the economy. In the article, “Why Beef Prices Are Higher than Ever (and Shoppers Are Finally Resisting),” Alina Selyukh explores the shrinking cattle supply leading to economic pressure.

The shrinking of cattle has led to a higher supply and demand. When a product is popular, there is less of the product, and it forces the consumer to pay more. The lack of cattle due to the recent drought played a large role in the increasing price of ground beef. Brady Blackett is a cattle producer that resides in Utah. He has had experience in raising cattle since childhood and spoke about his experiences of the drought. He claims prices have reached a “historic high,” and maintaining a herd of cows is very difficult. This forces cattle producers to kill cattle because of the expensive price of water. Since there were no proper ways to gain water, they had to pay people to get enough water in their diet. These events led to the killing of cattle and there being a smaller population. Overall, the killing of cows has led to the ridiculous increases people saw in stores and the avoidance of the purchase of ground beef compared to other meats that are cost-effective.