Wednesday, Sep 16, 2026
Does ground beef cost $2 per pound?
Ground beef hasn’t cost $2 per pound in more than 25 years.
U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN) appeared on Fox Business on Sept. 16, discussing the upcoming midterm elections and saying at one point that “beef is at less than $2 a pound for ground beef.”
The average price for a pound of uncooked ground beef, regardless of fat content or source, in a U.S. city was just over $7 in August 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The last time the data shows ground beef costing less than $2 per pound was in March 2000.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
- Fox Business September 16, 2026, interview with Rep. Tom Emmer
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Average Retail Food and Energy Prices, U.S. and Midwest Region
- Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Average Price: All Uncooked Ground Beef
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