Trends in Price Spreads for Beef and Pork

Retail prices of beef and pork have increased about 30 percent since 1962; net farm values have increased less and have fluctuated more. Spreads between farm values and retail prices have increased more than one-third since 1962, but year-to-year increases have varied widely. Increases in beef and pork price spreads have accompanied similar increases in costs of labor and other marketing services. Seasonal and annual movements in price spreads reflect price adjustments to changing supplies and marketings of beef and pork, changes in consumer demand and incomes, and lags in the timing of price adjustments between various market levels