With the beef herd down year-over-year, cattle supplies will remain tight for the foreseeable future.  

Beef packer margins continue to be pressured as high cattle prices are exceeding the beef cutout value that can be passed on to consumers.  

High beef prices will persist moving forward as packers limit processing capacity to minimize their losses. 

Heavier carcass weights continue to help offset the reduced slaughter levels.  

With cattle on feed longer, grading for choice, premium, and prime remains strong. Availability for lower grades such as Select continues to be limited, which is supporting higher prices.  

• Ribeye pricing has remained steady but is expected to increase as we approach Easter and the summer months. 

• Striploin pricing remains at historically high levels as they present better value than higher priced ribeyes.  

• Chuck flat pricing will be decreasing in February but remains at elevated levels as the overall chuck complex demand is still strong. 

• Chuck Roll prices have started to decrease as there has been strong pushback from both retail and foodservice.  

• Sliced beef short rib pricing continues to remain at elevated levels due to limited availability of raw material.  

• Oxtail prices remain steady despite limited cattle supplies and higher demand during the colder winter months.   

With the cattle herd at historically low levels, availability will be the primary issue for certain cuts due to the tight cattle supply and continued strong consumer demand. 

With high beef prices, retailers are promoting poultry more prominently in their ad features.  

Overall poultry prices continue to increase due to strong demand for thigh meat, breast meat, and jumbo wings. 

• BI Thighs – Availability has tightened as retailers allocate more space in the meat case to BI thighs in place of higher priced beef items.  

• BL SL Thighs – BL SL Thigh prices have been increasing weekly as the dark meat complex strengthens.  

• Legmeat – Chicken leg meat pricing is on the rise as thigh meat prices increase.  

• Breastmeat – Breast meat prices continue to increase as the entire poultry complex gains strength.   

• Wings – Wing prices have started to increase as poultry packers set aside inventory ahead of March Madness.  

• Turkey – Turkey prices remain high due to tight supplies and the ongoing impact of the HPAI bird flu affecting turkey flocks.   

Poultry Outlook – With high beef prices, poultry remains the protein of choice for consumers seeking value and affordability.  

Pork continues to present good value for both the retail and food service segments as a lower cost protein option than beef.  

Retail demand for lower cost proteins such as sausages, hot dogs, canned meats, etc. remains strong amongst budget conscious consumers.  

• Butts– Boneless butt pricing is trending higher as high beef prices have supported strengthening pork demand.   

• Hams– Ham demand will remain firm due to the upcoming Easter holiday as well as continued strong export demand to Mexico.    

• Back Ribs & Spare Ribs- Rib prices are under pressure as pork packers continue to build up their frozen inventory in preparation for summer. 

• Bellies- Belly pricing has strengthened due to increased seasonal demand at the retail level. Danish pork belly pricing has increased as Japan has stepped in heavily to book inventory amidst the outbreak of ASF (African Swine Flu) in Spain. 

Pork Outlook – With high beef prices, retailers are expected to continue to feature pork heavily in future ad features.   

Mahi Mahi  

• Peruvian season is coming to a close earlier than expected. 
• Landings have been poor.  Many of the boats are starting to start fishing for squid. 
• Prices remain strong on all cuts and sizes due to the limited availability of raw materials.  
• Fillets and Fletch Loins are very limited. 
• Majority of the fillets are 3/5. 
• Many suppliers are looking to Taiwan to help alleviate gaps in supply.  

Ono Loins  

• Ono loins supply is still under pressure due to the lack of Mahi Mahi. 
• Vietnam and Taiwan are slowly catching and having challenges filling containers to ship. 
• Anticipate prices to increase as new shipments arrive. 

Dungeness Crab  

• The 2025-2026 season is off to a slow start.   
• Some areas had delayed opening due to weather and above normal Domoic Acid levels in the crabs. 
• Current catch totals, put the harvest at less than 50% less than normal. 
• Prices remain firm due to strong purchases from the live market and exports. 
• Expect strong prices and limited availability for whole cooked and sections.