449 - Why High Beef Prices Are Not Slowing Meat Demand | Damian Mason Podcast

449 - Why High Beef Prices Are Not Slowing Meat Demand | Damian Mason Podcast

May 11, 2026 · 49 min · Episode 449

About this episode

Damian Mason discusses the factors driving high demand for beef despite rising prices with guest Brian Earnest from CoBank.

U.S. meat consumption is at a record high despite rising grocery prices, especially for beef. Meanwhile, plant-based meat alternatives continue losing consumer interest and market share. Why are consumers still choosing real meat? Is the demand driven by protein preferences, nutrition trends, the MAHA movement, or changing perceptions about processed foods? In this episode of The Business of Agriculture, Damian Mason speaks with Brian Earnest, Animal Protein Analyst at CoBank, about the economic, nutritional, and cultural forces driving continued demand for animal protein. They discuss beef prices, consumer purchasing behavior, protein demand trends, the decline of fake meat products, and what the future holds for livestock and meat industries. The Business of Agriculture with Damian Mason is brought to you by: Ag View Solutions Tidal Grow Agriscience Nano-Yield Life Scientific Also, make sure to check out DamianMason.com , XtremeAg's The Cutting The Curve Podcast and The Granary . This content is protected. ©Damian Mason, all rights reserved.

People in this episode

Host: Damian Mason

Guest: Brian Earnest

Topics covered

Sponsors

Ag View Solutions, Tidal Grow, Agriscience, Nano-Yield, Life Scientific

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: CoBank

Books & works: The Cutting The Curve Podcast, The Granary

More episodes of The Business of Agriculture Podcast

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Business of Agriculture Podcast podcast page.