Livestock Marketing Information Center
In The Cattle Markets
Updated: 7/13/2026
Cattle Slaughter Update
Building off last week’s In The Cattle Markets from Charley, this edition covers the slaughter figures through mid-year. As the previous post mentions, total cattle slaughter was down about 8.7% through the last full week of June. The makeup of that headline figure is interesting.
Livestock Monitor
Updated: 7/17/2026
RETAIL MEAT PRICES
Retail price data for the month of June was released by the USDA-Economic Research Service (ERS), and retail beef prices continue to remain elevated while pork and broiler prices are steady. The All-Fresh retail beef price was $9.64 per pound in June, up $1.01 per pound (+12%) from last year. June’s All-Fresh retail beef price was the third highest on record behind $10.00 per pound in April and $9.69 per pound in February of this year. USDA-ERS reported June’s retail beef steak price at $12.88 per pound, an increase of $1.39 per pound (+12%) from last year and the second highest price on record behind $13.02 per pound in April 2026. Roasts increased $1.23 per pound (+15%) to a record of $9.43 per pound in June, surpassing the prior record of $9.41 per pound in April 2026. For the last three months, retail ground beef prices exceeded the $7 per pound mark. June was a record at $7.14 per pound, up $0.80 per pound (+13%) from last year.
POULTRY PRODUCTION BOOSTED BY PRODUCTIVITY
Chicken production in terms of ready-to-cook meat through the first half of 2026 is up +4%
from a year earlier, a little more than had been expected at the start of the year. Almost all the
increase can be traced back to hen productivity in the hatchery supply flock. Hatchings per hen
in May were up +4.1% from May 2025, and the April increase was +3.6%. The year began with
hatchery supply flock productivity being up +1.9% from a year earlier in January. Average bird
weights at processing time have been up a little less than +1% so far this year, in line with
expectations.
FOOD SECTOR RETAIL SALES GROWTH STEADY AT 3%
The Department of Commerce’s preliminary estimate of food sector retail sales in June registered a +2.6% gain from the same month in 2025. This was slightly less than the May increase of +3% but was close to the year-to-date average gain. Food service and drinking place sales in June were up +3.9%, the biggest increase since a +5.4% increase in February. Grocery store sales were up +0.9%, a pullback from a +1.9% increase in May that was the biggest year-over-year increase for grocery store sales this year. For the economy, retail sales were up +8.4% from June 2025, which was the biggest increase in more than three years.
