In November 2023, the average retail price of fresh beef was $6.44 per pound, an 8.9% increase from the previous year. Despite a slight decrease in total fresh meat sales for November 2023, beef accounted for nearly half of all sales dollars at $2.3 billion. Looking ahead to 2024, the U.S. Department of Agriculture forecasts that beef production will be around 26 billion pounds, with an expected decrease in beef and veal exports and a slight increase in imports compared to 2023.