Beef has a lot of external factors involved in price. A lot of the current increases in beef prices can be linked to environmental factors(aka droughts in the midwest/west). We are at fault for the increases, but it's actually NOT a direct result of consolidation in this case, it's because we, as a nation(or planet), have been ignoring climate scientists for decades. Still Republicans will blame the party that has been calling for environmental protection and not the party that went all in on climate change denial and it will likely stick in the minds of the public.....