BOXED BEEF:  Choice up $6.24 from last Friday, Select up $11.20

In the recent USDA Boxed Beef Report, we get a closer look at beef prices. As of Friday, choice boxed beef was $295.50, down by 79 cents from the day before, and select boxed beef was $283.05, down by 71 cents. The Choice Select Spread was $12.45, a slight decrease from the previous day's $12.53. The total load count also dropped from 144 loads to 111 loads.

Comparing week-over-week changes, choice beef increased by $6.24, and select beef went up by $11.20. However, the Choice Select Spread narrowed by $4.96 from the previous Friday.

Looking at the broader picture, the report covers the performance of choice boxed beef in 2024. The lowest price was $275.90 on January 4th, and the highest was $298.45 on January 17th, showing a significant increase of $22.55. The average price for choice boxed beef in 2024 is $286.38.

Comparisons with the previous year reveal that in 2023, the highest price for choice boxed beef was $343.09 on June 16th, and the lowest was $264.74 on February 3rd. The average price in 2023 for choice was $299.25, giving us insights into the changing trends in beef prices.