It is rather frustrating to see sky high beef retail prices when the producer's market is flat.
I forget what current packer profit margins are but it's sickening.
Figure I have been hearing is 400%.
Last article I read, said the packer is selling a prime steer for around $3200. The farmers was getting about $1800 for the animal. The article said the packer would historically make about $400 per head for processing the animal, not $1400.
That's close enough for this kind of work, with your figures.
Local packer charges about $300.
Here in Texas, we have state meat inspection for custom kill packing companies. Problem is, USDA won't let you sell the packaged meat, either wholesale or retail.
If states would pass legislation that state raised meat could be slaughtered, state inspected, and sold within the state, that would jerk a knot in the tails of the meat mafia.
