I was under the impression that the shortage was due to the drought in the southern tier that drove the ranchers to fire sale their herds as there wasn't any grass/pasture to graze them on. And considering it takes what 1.5 - 2 years from birth to the slaughterhouse ... we are now getting hit with the shortage. Up here in the north we seem to have plenty of local beef. I've basically been paying the same $5-6 bucks a pound for most beef products on average (chuck roasts 4/# and steaks like 9/#) for almost a decade. Mostly just use ground round or ground sirloin here at the compound. Local used to be more expensive than the butcher or store meat case. Not anymore. And it tastes way better anyway. Should also note I'm buying 50 - 75# at a time maybe that makes a difference in price as well.
My parents owned and operated a small meat processing plant many years ago. They sold it and it closed due to people not buying cattle and hogs to have processed. Today, I couldn't name a meat processing plant in this area, I really don't think there are any. Even the people in the country buy their meat at the supermarket as they need it.
