Grass-fed beef spans a wide price range, from everyday roasts and cube steaks to premium tenderloin and whole-carcass purchases. The USDA National Grass Fed Beef Report for Q1 2026 provides current price observations, while the University of Vermont’s Back to Grass report supplies older U.S. market and producer estimates.
Contents
- Retail steak prices
- Roast prices
- Carcass purchases and processing
- Market size and consumption
- Producers, finishing, and sales
- Premiums and supply sources
Retail steak prices
The USDA’s Q1 2026 observations show substantial variation even within the same cut. These figures are reported as price ranges and averages per pound, so they describe observed market pricing rather than a single national shelf price.
Among the lower-priced steak categories, Cube/Minute Steak ranged from $7.49 to $18.42 per lb, averaging $11.75. Chuck/Shoulder/Arm Steak ranged from $9.00 to $20.00, averaging $15.29. Eye of Round Steak ranged from $10.00 to $16.49, averaging $14.12. Petite Sirloin Steak ranged from $9.00 to $21.00, averaging $17.60. Round Steak ranged from $9.99 to $18.99, averaging $14.68. These observations can help shoppers compare less expensive steak formats with premium cuts. (USDA National Grass Fed Beef Report, Q1 2026)
Several familiar steak cuts clustered around average prices of roughly $19 to $22 per lb. Chuck Eye Steak ranged from $9.99 to $28.95, averaging $19.24. Flank Steak ranged from $10.65 to $35.95, averaging $19.19. Hanger Steak ranged from $12.77 to $42.00, averaging $19.92. Sirloin Steak ranged from $10.99 to $32.00, averaging $19.18. Sirloin Tip Steak ranged from $15.00 to $26.25, averaging $19.36. Skirt Steak ranged from $8.99 to $41.00, averaging $19.03. Top Sirloin Steak, identified as Coulotte, ranged from $13.49 to $32.00, averaging $20.77. Tri-Tip Steak ranged from $14.00 to $30.00, averaging $21.76. (USDA National Grass Fed Beef Report, Q1 2026)
Other mid-to-high-priced steaks showed wider observed ranges. Chuck Tender, or Teres Major, ranged from $15.40 to $20.00, averaging $18.15. Flap Meat, or Bavette, ranged from $12.99 to $28.99, averaging $21.45. Flat Iron Steak ranged from $10.99 to $40.00, averaging $20.53. Porterhouse Steak ranged from $21.00 to $42.00, averaging $28.85. Ribeye Steak ranged from $16.49 to $54.99, averaging $28.26. Strip Steak ranged from $15.00 to $49.99, averaging $25.64. T-Bone Steak ranged from $18.46 to $40.00, averaging $25.16. (USDA National Grass Fed Beef Report, Q1 2026)
Filet Mignon was the highest-average steak category listed in the USDA observations, ranging from $22.00 to $69.99 per lb and averaging $39.80. Tenderloin Steaks ranged from $22.10 to $53.05, averaging $33.21. The spread between the lowest and highest observations was especially large for Filet Mignon, Ribeye, Strip, Hanger, and Skirt Steak, illustrating how seller, location, specification, and sales channel can affect the price a cook encounters. (USDA National Grass Fed Beef Report, Q1 2026)
Roast prices
Roasts generally had lower average prices than the most expensive steak categories in the same Q1 2026 USDA report. Bottom Round Roast ranged from $7.99 to $16.99 per lb, averaging $11.81. Eye of Round Roast ranged from $8.99 to $16.99, averaging $12.89. Rump Roast ranged from $8.50 to $16.00, averaging $12.12. London Broil ranged from $8.99 to $20.00, averaging $13.90. Top Round Roast ranged from $9.40 to $17.99, averaging $13.04. (USDA National Grass Fed Beef Report, Q1 2026)
Chuck/Shoulder/Arm Roast ranged from $6.99 to $24.00, averaging $12.55. Sirloin Tip Roast ranged from $8.99 to $16.75, also averaging $12.55. These two categories had the same reported average but different observed ranges. A shopper comparing roast options should therefore look at both the average and the available range rather than treating the average as a guaranteed price. (USDA National Grass Fed Beef Report, Q1 2026)
The higher-average roast categories included Sirloin Roast, which ranged from $11.99 to $19.00 and averaged $16.27; Tri-Tip Roast, which ranged from $9.99 to $27.00 and averaged $17.68; Top Sirloin Roast, identified as Picanha, which ranged from $15.00 to $27.94 and averaged $18.04; and Strip Roast, which ranged from $18.00 to $31.95 and averaged $22.86. (USDA National Grass Fed Beef Report, Q1 2026)
Ribeye Roast ranged from $17.00 to $40.89 per lb and averaged $26.99. Tenderloin ranged from $17.00 to $49.98 and averaged $34.13. The USDA observations therefore place tenderloin and ribeye roast above the other listed roasts on average, while the round and rump categories sit toward the lower end.
| USDA Q1 2026 category | Reported range per lb | Average per lb |
|---|---|---|
| Bottom Round Roast | $7.99–$16.99 | $11.81 |
| Chuck/Shoulder/Arm Roast | $6.99–$24.00 | $12.55 |
| Sirloin Roast | $11.99–$19.00 | $16.27 |
| Tri-Tip Roast | $9.99–$27.00 | $17.68 |
| Ribeye Roast | $17.00–$40.89 | $26.99 |
| Tenderloin | $17.00–$49.98 | $34.13 |
Carcass purchases and processing
The USDA report also recorded carcass purchasing options, which are measured differently from individual retail cuts. Whole carcass purchase prices without processing ranged from $100.00 to $2,000.00, averaging $734.72. Half carcass purchases without processing ranged from $100.00 to $1,000.00, averaging $449.44. Quarter carcass purchases ranged from $100.00 to $500.00, averaging $262.25, while eighth carcass purchases ranged from $50.00 to $250.00, averaging $133.33. (USDA National Grass Fed Beef Report, Q1 2026)
When processing was included, whole carcass purchases ranged from $5.25 to $12.95 per lb hanging weight, averaging $8.20. Half carcass purchases ranged from $5.25 to $12.95 per lb hanging weight, averaging $8.31. Quarter carcass purchases ranged from $6.50 to $9.00 per lb hanging weight, averaging $7.69. These are hanging-weight figures, not the final weight of packaged meat. (USDA National Grass Fed Beef Report, Q1 2026)
The report listed processing charges separately at $0.57 to $1.25 per lb hanging weight, averaging $0.94. Slaughter fees ranged from $100.00 to $150.00 per head, averaging $125.00. Those additional charges matter when comparing a bulk carcass purchase with a retail-cut price because the quoted purchase price may not include every service cost. (USDA National Grass Fed Beef Report, Q1 2026)
The USDA also reported carcass purchases on a net-product-weight basis. Whole purchases ranged from $8.61 to $16.90 per lb, averaging $12.70. Half purchases ranged from $8.89 to $17.39, averaging $12.63. Quarter purchases ranged from $9.00 to $18.03, averaging $13.52. Eighth purchases ranged from $9.90 to $18.40, averaging $13.90. The net-product-weight averages were therefore higher than the reported averages based on hanging-weight prices for whole, half, and quarter purchases, with the comparison depending on the pricing basis used. (USDA National Grass Fed Beef Report, Q1 2026)
For Q1 2026, the USDA collected data from 84 producers and two aggregated state reports, covering North Carolina and South Carolina. The sample description is important context for interpreting these figures: the observations represent reported producer and state-report data for that period, not every grass-fed beef transaction in the United States. (USDA National Grass Fed Beef Report, Q1 2026)
Market size and consumption
The University of Vermont’s Back to Grass report estimated the U.S. grass-fed beef market at $4.0 billion in 2015. That estimate was described as nearly 4% of the total $105 billion U.S. beef market. The measurement year is 2015, so it should be read as a historical market estimate rather than a current market-size figure. (UVM Back to Grass report)
The same report estimated that labeled grass-fed beef represented about $1.0 billion of 2015 sales, while unlabeled grass-fed beef represented about $3.0 billion. Unlabeled grass-fed beef was estimated at 1.1 billion pounds and represented 6% of all beef consumed nationally by retail meat weight. These figures separate labeling status from the broader grass-fed market estimate. (UVM Back to Grass report)
The UVM analysis also estimated labeled grass-fed beef retail sales at $439 million after scaling Nielsen and SPINS data to 70% retail coverage. It estimated labeled grass-fed beef food-service sales at $480 million after applying a 48/52 retail-to-food-service split. These are analysis-based estimates from the report’s stated scaling and allocation methods, not direct counts of every sale. (UVM Back to Grass report)
The report gave a different volume estimate for labeled grass-fed beef retail sales: 6.7 billion pounds before a 5% shrink adjustment, implying 7.1 billion pounds after that adjustment. Because the report presents these as analysis estimates and the numbers use a stated shrink assumption, they should not be combined with other volume figures through unsupported arithmetic. (UVM Back to Grass report)
Producers, finishing, and sales
The UVM report estimated that the United States had 3,900 grass-fed beef producers in 2016, up from around 100 in 1998. It also estimated that those producers finished about 232,000 head of grass-fed cattle per year. Both the producer count and finished-cattle estimate refer to 2016, while the comparison point of around 100 producers refers to 1998. (UVM Back to Grass report)
Among surveyed grass-fed beef producers in the UVM study, 70% ran integrated operations. The average finishing age was 25 months, consistent with the report’s stated industry norm of 24 to 28 months. These figures describe the surveyed producer group and its finishing pattern, not a universal requirement for every grass-fed operation. (UVM Back to Grass report)
The study reported that 77% of survey respondents were finishers. Among finishers, 44% sold up to 20 head per year, and the median sales volume was 25 grass-fed cattle per year. The combination of a median of 25 head and a large share selling no more than 20 head indicates a producer landscape that included many relatively small finishing businesses, according to the survey results. (UVM Back to Grass report)
Premiums and supply sources
According to the UVM report, grass-fed beef consumers faced about a 70% price premium over conventional beef. Grass-fed cattle producers, however, received only a 25% to 30% premium when selling to branded programs. The two percentages describe different points in the value chain: the consumer-facing premium and the producer premium paid by branded programs. They should not be treated as equivalent margins. (UVM Back to Grass report)
The report also estimated that Australia supplied an average 31% of U.S. beef imports from 2011 through 2015, and that 97% of those Australian shipments were grass-fed beef. This is a historical five-year average about imports and Australian shipments, not a current import share or a forecast. (UVM Back to Grass report)
For cooking-guide readers, the practical picture is clear in the measured data: Q1 2026 USDA prices varied sharply by cut and purchasing format, while the older UVM estimates describe a market with multiple labeling categories, a large producer base relative to 1998, and different premiums at the consumer and producer ends of the supply chain.