USDA Reports U.S. Cattle Herd Hits 70-Year Low as Beef Prices Jump 15% in Stores

The U.S. cattle herd has fallen to its smallest size since the early 1950s, and grocery shoppers are already paying more for beef.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s January 2026 Cattle Inventory report, the national herd now stands at roughly 86.7 million head, marking another year of contraction.

That tightening supply is showing up at th…