Steak shortage hits NY steakhouses

http://www.nysun.com/article/60032

It seems as though the production of ethanol is having deleterious effects on the prices of steaks. I predict this attempt to become energy dependent will soon negatively influence the price of other foods as well. This article I think only scrapes the surface of what will likely be a greater problem. Perhaps ethanol is not the answer?

Grass fed beef is an option. Cows/shhep/goats are efficient converters of forage to meat. In fact , cattle/sheep/goats usually graze land that is not good for growing crops like corn. That said, a lot of us prefer corn fattened meat, especially when we go out to a nice steak house.

Today, a lot of animals are in feedlots for a shorter time. Some of those animals will produce meat that is not as good as we used to get. The better managers can cut feedlot time and still produce USDA Prime grade beef. Part of the management process is knowing the animals that you put on feed. Different breeds, and cross breeds reach prime at different weights and ages.

Corn is expensive, but wet distillers grain is cheap (but expensive to transport, and subject to fast spoilage). We are , IMO, gong to see more feed lots next to ethanol plants. Those feedlots will be the low cost producer.

what is so wierd about this wife and i went shopping today went to martins then to sunnyway then to hoffmans meats....
EVERY PLACE had steak on sale and roasts all beef sale in my area.....
(hagerstown md/greencastle pa)
ron

I Think...and it is just a WAG on my part... but with the price of corn rising, and the drought conditions in many 'pasture areas' livestock growers may be reacting by selling off more than the normal amount of animals at this time.

Of course we may be eating the Chinese version of Beef...God only knows what critter that might be??

There is beef and there is beef. From what I understand it is only the top 1 pct (restaurant quality prime) that is in short supply. I got some very good sirloin tips , for example, on sale last weekend at 2.99 lb.

Not to worry, Al Gore and the good folks in Hollywwood will still be able to get the prime beef.