Virginians, like the rest of America, are feeling the burn of increased beef prices, but it's been good news for the Commonwealth's unique cattle industry.
According to state data, cattle is Virginia’s second largest agriculture industry, raking in over a half-billion dollars a year. But our cattle industry is unique, says Republican Delegate Michael Webert. He comes from a long-time cattle family, taking over the family farm in Fauquier County almost 20 years ago. In addition to providing direct-to-consumer sales, he does what a majority of Virginia cattlemen do: raise breeding stock, particularly Angus, Hereford, Simmental herds.
That means they don’t have much of a direct impact on beef prices at the grocery store. Ground beef is currently at a record high, over $6 a pound. The problem, Webert and others said, started years ago with wildfires and droughts out west forcing feed lots to cull herds. And now?
“If we can keep the screw worm at bay in Mexico and find a solution to that problem, and open up the southern border again too," Webert told Radio IQ. "That’ll help expand numbers cause that’s a lot of heads of cattle to get to feed out here.”
The delegate said the cattle breeding cycle is long, with five to six years of expansion and five to six years of contraction.
“If you’re going to keep a heifer that going back into the breeding herd, it takes her two years from the time she’s born to have a calf," Webert said. "You’re looking almost three years out before you have that one animal generating more, an increase in the cow herd.”
In the meantime, the spike in prices has been good news for Virginia heifer breeders, according to Brandon Reeves with the Virginia Cattlemen's Association.
“If you're in the cattle/calf business and you’re not being profitable, you probably need to look at a different industry to be involved in," he told Radio IQ. "But we went through a lot of hard years where we don’t make money.”
While Virginia fields are unique for how much grass they hold, increasing production per acreage, production costs remain high. And high prices come with another temptation.
“It’s so tempting for producers to just cull those heifers and sell them early because you’re getting as much if not more for holding on to them,” Reeves said.
Webert said he retained 10 heifers last year and he’ll retain all but 3 later this year.
“The American food system is the safest in the world and the high-quality beef we produce is certainly one of the qualities we enjoy," Webert said when asked if he had a message for Virginia families fearing beef prices. "And the high prices are out of the ranchers' control.”
So, when will prices go down? Both Reeves and Webert are hopeful the breeding stock will rebound in the coming months and years. That may cause some more price fluctuations, but University of Virginia economist Terry Rephann says the markets should straighten themselves out… eventually.
“Markets are really great at dealing with shortages over time. Where there’s a price gap, they’ll fill that vacuum," Rephann told Radio IQ. "They have a profit motive to do that”
Perhaps ironically, complaints from Washington about international trade imbalances could be applied to high prices in Virginia.
“We consume more than we produce in Virginia," Rephann said. "If prices go up, it hurts the Virginia consumer more than it helps the producer."
There are efforts to increase beef production, or at least increase demand for Virginia beef, unfolding this year. Virginia Verified Beef, the result of legislation carried by Webert in 2024, aims to increase awareness of Virginia's locally made beef products.
"We’re working with processors and producers already selling in farmers markets to a customer base," Reeves said of the labeling campaign. "But the hope is we could grow the program, increase the amount of cattle and beef that’s produced here in Virginia and create a more resilient supply chain.”
In the meantime, cost-conscious Virginians could support the Commonwealth's largest agricultural industry by having chicken for dinner.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
