The cost of living is a leading concern for voters in Medina, Ohio, as the United States holds midterm elections that could affect control of Congress. Beef prices are a particular pressure point, affecting producers and shoppers alike, according to a report by RFI’s special correspondents Justine Fontaine and François-Damien Bourgery.
Kelton Keller, 35, runs a cattle farm north of Medina that has been in his family for five generations. The farm covers 120 hectares and has 180 cattle. Keller says the operation grows its own grain and produces its hay, but rising costs have made farming increasingly difficult.
He puts the price of fertilizer at $680 a tonne and agricultural diesel at $1.50 a litre. Keller says both have become more expensive over the past year, and he expects fertilizer costs to rise further. With the U.S. cattle herd at its lowest level since the 1950s, beef prices have also climbed. Keller says his production costs and the prices of finished products have risen in similar proportions, leaving his margins unchanged.
At a supermarket nearby, shopper Anderson said he bought steaks only because they were on sale. For others, beef has become unaffordable. Cheryl, a retiree speaking at a food bank, said ground beef used to be a low-cost staple, but inflation has forced her to stop buying it.
Donald Trump introduced measures in August to increase beef imports and lower prices. Cheryl hopes a Democratic victory in the midterms will bring change, although the report notes that her county is expected to vote strongly Republican.
Sources: RFI.