Snitz mansplaines why beef prices shot up but not pork.

Read the fricken graph for god's sake!

The beef vs. pork price divergence comes down to a fundamental supply difference between cattle and hogs.

The beef side — a cattle herd crisis

Beef prices remain elevated due to strong demand and the smallest U.S. cattle herd in 75 years. This is the result of years of drought, reduced income following the pandemic, and elevated operating costs that led farmers to liquidate their herds. Rebuilding a cattle herd takes years — cows have a roughly 9-month gestation and calves take another 2 years to reach slaughter weight, so there's no quick fix. AG INFORMATION NETWORK OF THE WESTAmerican Farm Bureau Federation

Total fed beef production declined in 2025 and is down 6.3% so far in 2026. Beef cow slaughter is down 17.4% year over year in 2026, marking the fourth year of double-digit declines. The average retail price for beef hit a record in April at $9.64 per pound, up about 13% from the previous year. Farm ProgressAG INFORMATION NETWORK OF THE WEST

The pork side — efficient and stable

Hogs are a completely different animal from a supply perspective. They breed much faster (pigs can be raised to slaughter weight in about 6 months), so producers can respond to market conditions far more quickly. Pork prices are predicted to increase only 1.5% in 2026, compared to 12.1% for beef and veal. Economic Research Service

Retail pork demand is actually benefiting from tight beef supply and strong beef prices — consumers substitute toward pork when beef gets expensive. According to Rabobank, these dynamics are expected to keep pork prices broadly stable through 2026, alongside limited supply growth. AHDB

The bottom line

Cattle supply is structurally constrained and can't be fixed quickly. Hog supply is flexible and keeps pace with demand. As USDA puts it, "pork offers relative value and stability, supported by efficient production and strong export markets." You're essentially seeing a years-long drought-driven cattle shortage finally showing up in your grocery bill, while pork producers quietly absorb the demand overflow.