Meat on grocery shelvesConsumers’ pick of ground beef has not waned despite near-record-high price levels. As Memorial Day weekend ended, the hamburger-heavy holiday helped fuel an intense 12-month period of domestic demand for homegrown beef. The ground beef market is especially critical for the cattle industry and the U.S. food system.

Ground beef balances supply and demand for the vast array of other beef products. Strong demand this past year has kept the wholesale price of ground beef right at record levels. The brow-furrowing beef prices consumers have seen in grocery stores have had little impact on beef-purchasing decisions.

Read more on ground beef domestic demand here.