A few weeks ago, I suggested now may be the time to buy beef due to the sell off in the cattle market due to higher grain prices.
Well now, it looks like the same reasoning may apply to buying chicken. According to this article, rising grain prices have lead to chicken plant consolidations. That probable means long term price gains. Which makes me wonder if now is the time to stock up on chicken to hedge against higher future prices?
All these articles have me fearful for meat and poultry prices this winter. I need to bug hubby to get that cow and pig ordered.
Are you planning a meat and poultry stock-up this summer?
{ 29 comments… read them below or add one }
Have you every considered becoming a vegetarian? It can save you a lot of worry and freezer space
I wish I had the money and the freezer. I have neither though, so just trying not to worry about it.
Don’t forget the price of feed. With the drought in the midwest/Texas, the plains farmers flooded out of their fields and China buying more than the USDA predicted grain prices are almost $8/bushel (CCX) Corn was about $2/bshl in 2007 and has been climbing steadily as more corn is made into ethanol. This year 40% of US corn will be made into ethanol. Even the local farmers here in WNY had difficulty planting their crops this spring and some will reduce their herds this fall for lack of feed and the inability to buy it. It has been a race here in Niagara county to plant, cut hay and irrigate, if you can. Most farmers are saying only 1, maybe 2 cutting of hay because of the weather.
So I would say, yes, definitely stock up on meat. Fill your freezer because it will be at least 2-3 years before herds can be built up again.
scary thoughts but something to think about!!
Your right Michelle, it’s scary is “RIGHT”!! T, thank you so much for your wisdom and advice!
I’ve been trying to buy the sale prices and stocking on that. I’m pretty good on chicken (all kinds) and pork (all kinds as well). However, I’m having one heck of a time w/ beef. Seems the only kind I can stock on is ground beef or an occasional roast…. turkey I’m good on, as with fish. My fish monger (public/farmer’s market) is amazing in price and quality. I will and DO pay more for quality seafood. Cuz when I can smell “fish”.. it’s not fresh, if you know what I mean.
Will look seriously even closer, maybe even go for 1/2 or a full lamb and chickens. I checked w/ only 2 farmers for the beef, and man oh man their prices were outrageous!!! So, I haven’t seen a difference in “beef prices” at all, here at least. Has someone else seen a difference?? I would be so curious to know!
I am scared to think what the price will be. I am thinking of going meatless 2 nights a weeks now.
I personally only like to buy boneless, skinless chicken breasts. What would everyone say is a good stockpile price for that. Currently there are sales for $1.99/lb around here. Anyone see it cheaper?
The lowest I have seen in Louisville is $1.79. That is from a sale that is currently running. I purchased 50 pounds yesterday. I spent several hours getting it canned. I am out of freezer space so I tested canned chicken breast last week. I was really impressed with how easy it was to do and how great it tastes. I will be doing another 50 pounds tomorrow along with a test run of cubed beef.
Thanks Robin, I think I will give canning chicken a try too, do you have a good web site for a recipe or should I just google?
i looked thru about 20 different recipes and they all were the same. I liked the video on YouTube by michigansnowpony
Good Luck
Thanks, looks easy enough. What did we do before You Tube? It is great all the information that is right at our finger tips.
a while back we saw 1.79 and I just used my last pack of that… id be happy even with 1.99 right now… it was 3.49 tonight at Tops!!
On a side note my Aldis had milk for 2.09 a gallon today….
As I mentioned before, it common for independent contractors to raise chicken flocks at a set price. A past article on how McDonald had influence the commerical market pointed out that days to maturity for poultry has decreased over time. If I recall correctly, Tyson was mentioned as McDonald supplier of ‘finish’ chicken products. Given that the restuarant side only use part of the bird, the consumers often benefit from cheap leg quarters. But, I also have purchased bone-in, skin-on breast packages that average a pound and a half a piece for a buck a pound.
While I doubt we will see 10 lb. of leg quarters for a few dollars, I don’t forsee prices jumping up and staying up.
I haven’t thought about stocking up on chicken but possibly very soon I may be offering a rooster for CHEAP. He will probably be tough to eat if his disposition is any indicator.
That’s why I bought a meat grinder!
LOL! Maybe I should get me one of those
Yikes!!! Really??? I have to clean out the small freezer we have so we can’t do much stockpiling, but yikes!!!! This stinks. I will try to stock up as much as I can.
Just bought some the other day – 2.5 lbs for $4! I should go back and get more…
We don’t have extra freezers but if the price is getting out of control, We’ll just eat less meat.
When will it end…?? the meat… the grains….the corn…the water? What will we do??
That’s exactly how I feel Kathy. It’s a big job keeping fresh water out to all our animals with temps around 100. Their feed & hay has jumped up in price this summer. I gather the hens eggs in the morning because I’m afraid they will be like hard boiled eggs if I leave them out til the evening. I have faith things will start to improve
When we lived in AZ one field had a 55gal drum for water. In April I would turn on the water and leave it on. In October I would turn it off. I have no idea how much water the horses drank but the barrel never overfilled. Of course the water bill was outrageous. One horse in the barn had a 35 gal drum. He drank the whole thing every day.
Ann – where do you order your cow from? I’m looking to buy a grass fed cow locally in WNY, like in Niagara or Orleans county.
Mark Fior Ransomville farmer 553-3149 sells whole, 1/2 or 1/4 beef
D.H. Cloy- Butcher in Niagara County 791-3433
Thanks T for the info!
We eat alot of chicken in our house. With a family of 7…everyone loves chicken and cooked in a different way. I will surely think about this and see what I can do. It’s worth the investment of a small chest freezer.
I’m in the midst of eating out my freezer in prep for all the fresh produce I’ll be packing in it in the coming weeks. Now I have to make room for more meat? oy vey!
I’m just going to keep looking out for the marked down meats at the grocery store. I can’t believe how many I have found!
I have been seeing a lot of mark down meats too, the beef is still to high even though it is marked down (at least at my Tops) they don’t mark it down enough. I have been finding sausage and pork too.