Soaring US beef prices likely to rise further thanks to trade tensions and disease outbreaks

The tightly integrated North American beef market, under pressure from drought and the spread of the screwworm, could get further roiled by trade uncertainty.

By: Andrew Muhammad, University of Tennessee and Charles Martinez, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: June 16, 2026

Words: 1,164

Last Updated: 1 month, 1 week ago

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By Andrew Muhammad, University of Tennessee and Charles Martinez

It’s summer grilling season, but for many Americans, surging prices mean beef is no longer what’s for dinner.

The cost of beef, having spiked since early 2025, is coming under even more pressure. The most recent is the screwworm outbreak that hit cattle in Mexico and has now spread to the United States, where the cattle herd has already fallen to levels not seen since the …

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