But also the beef and cattle industry has been quietly and carefully raising the price of beef, and especially steak, ever since the pandemic and hoping no one would call them out for their blatant price gouging.

Part of this has been framed as "steak is a luxury item and so we can price it out of the reach of the poor". Pair that with government programs silently removing steak as a buyable item on food stamp and public food programs.

Meanwhile the cattle industry has been posting all time record high profits for the last 5 years.