Texas A&M’s summer 2026 forecast says most beef, pork and chicken prices should follow a steadier path through October, avoiding last summer’s sharp swings even as beef stays near record highs.
Beef remains the costliest category: ribeye is projected to ease to $18.33 a pound from $18.81, ground beef to $6.62 from $6.71, while brisket is the lone major cut expected to rise, to $5.95.
Oil prices are the biggest variable because they feed into fertilizer, feed and transport costs, and the U.S.-Iran conflict could still ripple through the supply chain before any relief reaches store shelves.
New World screwworm adds another risk after the U.S. closed Mexican livestock trade; Texas A&M said the pest is not a major threat to beef supply but could lift producers’ costs and trim steady imports.
Pork and chicken should stay the cheaper substitutes—pork chops are seen rising to $3.84 from $3.54 and chicken breasts holding near $3.30—as shorter hog and poultry cycles let supply adjust faster than cattle herds.