Beef prices are at record highs as drought reduced cattle inventory to the lowest levels since 1951, with ground beef up 12.8% and steak prices rising 16.6% year over year.

Beef prices in the United States are at record highs heading into the holiday season — and tariffs aren’t the only reason.

Beef prices are rising across Europe and the US, but amid rising environmental and cost pressures, it's a small consolation.

Many of the over 17,000 beef cattle operations scattered across Iowa share similarities in appearance and production, according to the 2022 USDA Census of Agriculture. However, indistinguishable from the farmhouse and livestock building setups inhabiting most corners of the state are a small subset selling a very unique  product: American Wagyu.

Dean Defrees has been raising cattle for several decades, his family has been in the beef business longer still, and he’s never seen a more promising market.