Beef Prices Hit Record High Ahead of Summer Barbecue Season

Cattle prices have soared by more than 25 percent over the past 12 months.

Steaks for sale at a store in Elkridge, Md., on Feb. 27, 2026. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times

Grillers have received some bad news ahead of the summer barbecue season: Beef prices are surging.

Live cattle prices climbed by a record $2.52 per pound at the end of the April 15 trading session, adding to their year-to-date gain of about 8 percent. Futures retreated modestly, slipping by 1 percent the next day.