Agriculture Shorts

George Ayoub said in the Nebraska Examiner that the National Endowment for Financial Education reported 80% of Americans felt financial stress in 2025, and 77% had some form of “financial setback” last year . . . Beef industry consultant Nevil Speer reported meat had a strong month at the retail counter in March with sales up 5.0% compared to last year reaching $8.5 billion. Ground beef sales reached $1.4 billion, up 11.0% in dollars and 1.6% in pounds . . . According to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service peanut butter consumption has increased 6% over the average of the previous 10 years while consumption of other peanut products has declined . . . The Daily Livestock Report noted that first quarter beef production appears to be down 4% from last year and wholesale ground beef prices are up sharply from the start of the year, with 50% lean product up +11% and 90% lean product up +21%. The value of choice beef in carcass form is also up +13% from a year ago and +9% from the start of the year . . . CNBC reported that regular unleaded gasoline average $2.90 per gallon in the U.S. on February 1 according to Gasbuddy. According to the AAA, gas prices currently average $4.04 per gallon.