May 30, 2026
Where’s the beef? Across the U.S., it’s sitting on grocery store shelves, priced between 8% and 20% higher than last year.
Beef-flation is real, and the reasons are varied, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation, with droughts, increased farming costs, cattle herds falling to 75-year lows and the New World screwworm parasite among them.
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And it’s going to get worse before it gets better, as the USDA warns that, on average, beef prices will jump 12.1% this year — meaning the solution may lie beyond grocery store shelves and with the farms that sell beef in bulk outright.
In fact, since COVID-era price and supply fluctuations, more Americans have turned to buying their meat directly from local farms, including whole or partial cows butchered into freezer-ready cuts.
Michele Thorne is one of them. As the head of The Good Meat Project, a non-profit that supports ethical meat supply and education, she told Offrange that “Instead of paying $6,000 a year on meat, I’m reducing my costs by 25 or 30 percent every year by buying in bulk” from farms, which works out to about $1800 of annual savings.
No bull: Buying a cow could lead to long-term grocery savings
Any savings, of course, depend on the cost of beef, as buying in bulk makes more sense as grocery store prices rise. In April, ground beef hit an average record high of $6.90 per pound nationally, a 19% year-over-year increase. Sirloin steak was up almost 20% to $14.72 per pound, while beef steaks rose 17% to $13.02.
The most direct advantage of buying beef in bulk (including the full cow) is the insulation from price hikes as the year goes on.
Grassfed Junction, a website that helps connect prospective cow buyers with local farms, reports that the cost of most whole cows runs between $3,000 to $6,500, or $6 to $10 per pound for between 360 and 440 pounds. That includes expensive cuts like ribeye, filet mignon, New York strip and other cuts that come in at significantly under grocery store per pound costs.
“The upfront cost is a little painful, but it is worth it in the long run,” Kasey Guentert, a bulk buyer who eats beef almost every night, told Texas Standard in April. She added that one order lasts her household up to 18 months.
The Texas-based Circle J Meat Co. meanwhile, advises that whole cows offer the best cost savings but that, depending on the size of your household and how much meat you eat, most farms also let you order half, a quarter or an eighth of a cow. They add that you can often customize the thickness or portion sizes of the cuts you purchase.
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Still, even if the cost savings and bulk amounts add up, buying a cow does come with caveats that could spoil the process — and the meat — if you aren’t careful.
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Have a cow. Just make sure you’re prepared
Buying bulk beef, including the whole cow, is a straightforward process once you find a local farm that sells it, put down a deposit and detail your order. Sites like Grassfed Junction or The Good Meat Project, among others, can help with the farm search in your area.
The upfront cost may prove prohibitive for some even if it does pay off in the long run. It’s also a good idea to inquire about any additional butchering or processing fees before buying. Offrange noted that some customers split orders with family or friends “to dampen the sticker shock.”
Kara Smith, of Colorado Craft Beef, told Martha Stewart that it’s also important to be realistic about your household beef consumption before buying, though she called bulk purchases “a great way to explore those cuts and discover new favorites.”
It’s recommended that you reserve your cow at least one month in advance, and possibly up to three. And you can speak with the farm about meat processing times and arrange the delivery, or pick-up, of your vacuum-sealed order.
The beef can then stay in the freezer between 10 and 18 months, depending on the cuts, but having the right storage is paramount. A tiny ice box isn’t going to support upwards of 400 pounds of beef, so most experts advise having between 12 and 20 cubic meters of freezer space for a whole cow and scaling down from there for smaller amounts.
And while you’re enjoying your beef haul, you’ll also rest easy knowing you did your part to support local farmers.
“Selling whole or half animals is more than beef — it’s about connecting people to the land, to tradition, and to intentional practices,” Smith added. “In a world of disconnected supply chains, that connection matters.”
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Mike Crisolago is a Sr. Staff Reporter at Moneywise with nearly 20 years of experience working as a journalist, editor, content strategist and podcast host. He specializes in personal finance writing related to the 50-plus demographic and retirement, as well as politics and lifestyle content.
