Beef Prices Are Rising in Oklahoma Again

It was around this time last year that the price of beef started rising pretty sharply.

Back then it was the price of fuel that caused prices to soar, but it was quickly offset by the 2022 drought. Since there was no grass or hay, ranchers sold off their herds in record numbers to avoid loss.

The same thing happened during and after the 2011 drought.

As the market flooded with beef, prices came back down to near normal... The reason why beef is going back up in 2023 is a lack of cattle this year. Smaller supply to meet the demand.

If you were to look at the cattle supply index, we're currently sitting at the lowest supply so far this century.

USDA.gov

According to this USDA report, the country was sitting on about 107 million head of cattle in the US in 2000. As of July 2023, the national count is around 95 million.

That's total cows... calves, bulls, dairy livestock, etc... All cows in the US. Only about a third of that 95 million will be processed into beef products--ground beef, steaks, brisket, etc...

Oklahoma's Highest-Rated Barbeque Joints, In No Particular Order...

I doubt there's a single topic debated more passionately in Oklahoma than who makes the best BBQ. While they all smoke meat, there are some huge differences in how that process is done. Type of wood, length of cook, foil vs paper wrap, and even the hot topics of seasoning and binders come into play. What you like others may not, and vice versa. Since we can't just pick a top five or ten, here are the Oklahoma barbeque joints that have the biggest fans.

The Best Things About Oklahoma

It seems we've reached a point in human history where the norm is to sit around and complain about anything and everything. Oklahoma is a sore subject on both political sides of the aisle. So instead of adding to the morose nature of being bummed, here are some 100% pure Sooner State things Okies can't help but think positively about.