How Beef Got So Expensive

How Beef Got So Expensive

From The Journal. by The Wall Street Journal & Spotify Studios

June 10, 2026 · 21 min

About this episode

The episode explores the rising costs of beef and the factors affecting ranchers' power in the industry.

In the era of the $100 steak, WSJ reporter Patrick Thomas traveled from a steakhouse in Omaha to a manure-splattered cattle auction in the Nebraska sandhills. What he found was a story about drought, debt and a stunning reversal of fortune that has left America's ranchers holding more power than they've had in decades. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - The Beef Between Cattle Ranchers and Meatpackers - How Scotts Miracle-Gro's Weed Business Went Up in Smoke Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People in this episode

Host: Ryan Knutson

Guest: Patrick Thomas

Topics covered

  • beef prices
  • cattle ranching
  • economic impact
  • drought
  • meat industry

Keywords

  • beef
  • steak
  • cattle auction
  • ranchers
  • meatpackers
  • drought
  • debt

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Wall Street Journal, Spotify Studios

Places: Omaha, Nebraska sandhills

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