Email 5 of Six of Cunningham Ranch Six Week Email Series: Why Beef Prices are Skyrocketing Nationwide - by Liz Cunningham

Email 5 of Six: Four companies control 85% of America’s beef — and it’s changing everything about how your food is raised, priced, and processed. 

“It’s Not Just About the Product — It’s About the Principle.” 

Liz Cunningham, Cunningham Pastured Meats

To the families we serve,

If you’ve been following our series over the past few weeks, we’ve talked about a lot of hard truths — ranchers retiring, record land transfers, low herd counts, and federal grazing limits that squeeze out the small producer.

This week’s topic might be the most important one yet — because it affects every rancher, every small processor, and every family at every dinner table in America. 

But, first...

I know that as I write this, many families are feeling the squeeze — especially with the recent government shutdown putting extra strain on those already stretched thin. 

It’s a reminder of something bigger: when we depend too much on massive corporations and government systems to feed our nation, we lose the balance and resilience that come from local roots. Real food security starts with real people — families, farmers, and ranchers who care about the land and the communities they serve.

Sadly, it Starts (and, ends) with The Big Four

Today, just four massive packers — JBS, Tyson, Cargill, and National Beef — control over 85% of the U.S. beef industry.

At first, that might sound efficient. But let me tell you what it really means from where we stand:  The people who raise the cattle (chicken, pigs, etc.) no longer set the value of the cattle.

These big corporations — some foreign-owned and globally invested — control the processing, the pricing, and the pace. And when that happens, the rancher loses margin, the local butcher loses access, and ultimately, the consumer loses choice. 

And, this is just not how we do business at our local ranch or at Cliff's, the home of Cunningham Pastured Meats. 

We stick to our values & principles from the farm to our store so you can be confident with what you are feeding your family at your table. 

“When you hand over 85% of the beef supply to four global packers, you’re not just outsourcing processing 

— you’re outsourcing integrity. 

It's why supporting locally raised, processed and purchased deeply matters!!"

 — Liz Cunningham, Cunningham Pastured Meats

How We Got Here — and Why It Matters

It’s not a conspiracy theory. It’s consolidation — plain and simple.

Most of these packers are headquartered overseas, driven by shareholder returns, not stewardship of the land. Companies like JBS and National Beef are Brazilian-owned, which means decisions about America’s beef supply are often made an ocean away.

When these massive processing plants shut down during COVID, we saw just how fragile the system really is, as ranchers across the U.S. had cattle fat and were ready to harvest, but the doors to those massive facilities were closed.

Tens of thousands of animals had to be euthanized, not because of a shortage of food or space, but because our processing was too centralized to respond. Families couldn’t find meat on grocery shelves, and many feedlots and farms were forced to destroy what they had worked so hard to raise - an unimaginable suffering for animals and mankind alike. 

The Cost of Scale

Big plants can process a cow for about $100.  Small, independent processors — like the one we use — spend about ten times that amount.

Why? Because quality takes time. Oversight takes care. USDA regulations are written with the big players in mind — those who can afford a team of full-time compliance officers and a system of mass processing focused solely on getting meat to consumers.

Keep in mind, as we discussed last week, when a massive plant makes a mistake, millions of pounds of beef can be contaminated — because every pound of ground beef from those plants can contain trim from hundreds of cows. And, the loss is unimaginable; not just in dollars, but the sacrifice made of animals, ranchers, and consumers alike. 

That’s the reality.  It’s not efficiency — it’s exposure. 

Why We Choose to Do It Differently: We Feed Our Family, Too!

At Cunningham Ranch and at Cliff's Country Market, the home of Cunningham Pastured Meats, we’re not interested in being the biggest. We’re committed to being the highest quality, because we feed our family every day, just like you do. 

We wouldn't cut corners for our family any more than we would want to cut corners for your family!

We partner with Northwest Premium Meats, a local processor that shares our values and commitment to quality. Founded in 2001 by small producers who wanted better, they’ve built something that honors both ranchers and consumers: blending traditional butchering craft with modern precision and thoughtful processing.

For us, this partnership means:

 🐂 Respect for our cattle.
 💚 Transparency from pasture to plate.
 🌾 Dollars that stay in our local economy.
 🥩 Quality you can taste — every single time.

In the meantime, we stand by our promises: 

 ✅ No price hikes in 2025
 ✅ No shortcuts in feed or finishing
 ✅ No compromise on what “Meat You Can Trust” means

"Because every time you fill your freezer with local beef (or, this time of year, turkey!!), you’re voting for the future of American ranching."

Next Week is our final email in our six-week series- won't you join us as we share the importance of choice: The Consumer’s Choice

In the final chapter of this series, we’ll talk about the real power behind the plate — you.  It’s consumers who drive the future, and every purchase tells a story worth hearing.

Until then, thank you for standing with us — for learning, sharing, and supporting families who still believe food should be grown with integrity and grace.

Take me to the final email of the series 6 of Six: Your Choices Matter More than Ever!

Email 6 of our Six Week Series