For those of you who don't know me from other places, I'm the 5th generation to run cattle of a portion of the real estate I call my home. I'm also an insufferable beef promoter. This is a thread dedicated to all things beef: recipes, prices, preparation, cuts, storage, etc.
Starting off, I'll suggest that now is a good time to stock up on beef for the summer grilling season. Slaughter weights have been unusually high for this time of year, and the result is a seasonally high supply. We're starting to see some features and discounts at the retail level, which should continue for the next couple of weeks. Beyond that, all meat prices may spike as a result of sequestration. Under the rules of sequestration, the USDA will have to furlough meat inspectors for 22 days, creating a bottleneck in the supply chain, and a subsequent shortage of all types of meat. Meat processing plants have to have a USDA inspector to grade all the meat that goes through the plant, and without them, there is no meat. Choice beef set an all-time high retail price in January before this small glut hit the markets. My advice is to take advantage of it and stock up the freezers, particularly with the choice cuts like steaks and rib roasts, as I predict the shortage will have a greater impact on graded beef than it will on hamburger.
I may be the only one posting in this thread, but it's my own little form of community service for my industry.