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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW State, miners headed for showdown over dredging ... Jacksonville to add downtown parking spots ... New Klamath Community College board member blasts alleged negativity ... State, miners headed for showdown over dredging ... Jacksonville to add downtown parking spots ... New Klamath Community College board member blasts alleged negativity ... SYA Pasture conditions, cattle numbers affect beef prices Since You Asked: Pasture conditions, cattle numbers affect beef prices Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jan. 5, 2015 at 12:01 AM Posted Jan. 5, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News What is up with the price of roast beef? This used to be the poor man's Sunday dinner. Now it costs more than steak sometimes. Just because they call it Choice or Steakhouse or Select shouldn't make it more expensive! Any thoughts?  — Linda S. via email Well, Linda, there are two things that have driven up the price of beef: Low cattle inventories and one of the worst droughts on record in the western United States. With less available grazing pasture, ranchers are raising fewer beef cattle, increasing the cost at the market. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's 2014-2015 Food Price Report, beef and veal prices rose 0.8 percent from October to November 2014, and have risen 18.1 percent year-over-year. "Pasture conditions have improved somewhat in the Southern Plains and Southwest but not significantly in the West," the report says. "In addition, improved crop yields allow cattle producers to feed cattle longer and to hold cattle for expansion. However, signs of herd expansion at this point are anecdotal at best. Many producers are holding on to their inventory to increase live weights, as steer and heifer prices have hit record highs." As to the price of certain grades of beef, USDA Prime and Choice have always been more expensive than Select, which has the least marbling, so the low cattle inventory has only driven prices of those cuts higher. Send questions to “Since You Asked,” Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by email to [email protected]. We’re sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them.   MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jan. 5, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501