As total beef production falls and beef prices increase to record levels, demand for ground beef increases. In 2025, a 3.6% decrease in beef production was offset by increased net beef imports to hold total per capita beef consumption steady with the previous year. Per capita beef consumption for 2025 was estimated at 59.8 pounds per person. Total beef production thus far in 2026 is down 6.2% and is expected to be down 3-4% annually for the year with per capita beef consumption declining despite additional beef imports this year.
A breakdown of beef consumption shows that per capita supplies of ground beef increased in 2025 to the highest level since 2004. Ground beef supplies were estimated at 28.6 lbs. per person, up 0.61 lbs. per person. Remaining beef consumption (carcass) was estimated at 31.2 lbs., down 0.44 lbs. per person (Figure 1).
Figure 2 shows that ground beef currently makes up the highest percentage of total beef consumption back to 2003 and is probably at a record level in the U.S. Ground beef consumption has increased simultaneously with record ground beef prices. This happens because ground beef is still the beef product that consumers turn to when beef prices generally rise. Since 2022, the average wholesale price across 39 beef products has been an increase of over 44%. However, wholesale ground beef prices have increased over 57% over the same period.
The challenges of meeting ground beef demand are substantial. Ground beef utilizes fatty trimmings from fed cattle and lean trimmings from cull cows and other sources. Total cow slaughter decreased 28.7% from 2022 through 2025, leading to a 24.8% decrease in nonfed beef production. This is the primary source of lean processing beef used in ground beef mixtures.
There are a multitude of ways to prepare ground beef mixtures but a ratio of 7 lbs. of 90% lean to 1 lb. of 50% lean is representative of a common 85% lean ground beef mixture. This means that 7 lbs. of cull cow-type beef is required for each pound of trimmings from fed steers and heifers.
Fed carcasses produce 150-250 lbs. of trim, which means that the lean trim from three to four cull cows is needed to utilize all of the fatty trimmings from each fed carcass. Not enough cow beef is available, and lean supplies are routinely supplemented by imported lean.
Over the past 20 years, an average of 25% of total trim used for ground beef has been from imported beef. In 2025, imported trim accounted for an estimated 38.7% of total ground beef trim, leading to the domestic lean share of trim at the lowest level in more than 20 years, currently 61.3% (Figure 3).
Increased imported trim in the current market is important to support the value of fatty trimmings from fed cattle. — Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension livestock marketing specialist
