02/16/2026
A lot of people assume small farms just “make up” their beef prices.
That we sit around the kitchen table and pull numbers out of thin air.
We don’t.
This report right here is the USDA National Grass Fed Beef Report (Quarterly). It shows what grass-fed beef is selling for direct to consumer across the United States — broken down by individual cuts.
This is what we reference when pricing:
• Whole beef
• Half beef
• Individual retail cuts
• Ground beef
• Roasts
• Steaks
• Even bones and tallow
When we price a whole animal, we don’t just randomly pick a number per pound. We calculate:
1. The hanging weight
2. The processing cost
3. The yield of retail cuts
4. The current USDA direct-to-consumer averages
Then we price accordingly.
If anything, most small farms price below national direct-to-consumer averages because we want our community to afford local food.
We are not price gouging.
We are not guessing.
And we are definitely not “pulling numbers out of our butts.”
We are using national market data — the same kind of data larger operations reference.
Local beef reflects:
• Feed costs
• Hay costs
• Mineral programs
• Processing fees
• Labor
• Land
• Equipment
• Time
When you buy local beef, you’re not just buying meat.
You’re buying transparency, quality, and sustainability.
And we’re always happy to show you exactly how the numbers break down.
If you’ve ever wondered how beef pricing works, this is a great place to start 👆