This is a guest post written by Patrick Linnell of CattleFax.
Beef demand has been outstanding, and ground beef has been a key part of the demand story, composing over 50 percent of U.S. beef consumption. Ground beef demand pressed to record levels in 2024 and is on pace to exceed that level in 2025.
The U.S. ground beef supply comes from three sources: fatter trim from fed cattle, lean trim from slaughter cows and bulls, and the bulk of imported beef which is also lean. Those three components are often blended to achieve the desired lean-point for a ground beef product.