As the drought in Texas worsens, more and more ranchers are sending their cattle to slaughterhouses earlier than normal, due to the rising costs of trucking in hay from other states. As a result, the increase in beef supplies may lead to decreased costs for retail beef in the fall and winter, says the USDA.
Even though a glut of beef coming to the market could help consumer prices now, the concern is that next year hamburger prices may rise after so many cows are taken out of the system.