U.S. beef market - statistics & facts

Cattle farming in the U.S.

The United States is home to approximately 93.6 million cattle and calves as of 2021, a decrease from 93.8 million cattle and calves in 2020. There are over three times more beef cows than milk cows living in the United States. In 2020, the total carcass weight of worldwide U.S. beef and veal exports was just under three billion pounds.

U.S. beef retail market

Beef is still the cash cow of the fresh meat retail department, with the highest retail sales within the category. Fresh ground beef is of the most popular cut types among consumers and had the highest category share with 39.6 percent in 2021. Sirloin steak is one of the most expensive cuts, retailing at about 8.98 U.S. dollars per pound in 2020, almost twice as expensive as ground beef. In the 52 weeks ending April 25, 2020, Americans spent over nine U.S. dollars on average on beef per trip to the grocery store. That year, Americans spent an average of about 8.38 U.S. dollars on meat products.

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