WASHINGTON —

Ground beef prices in the U.S. reached an all-time high in June, averaging $6.12 per pound, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics .

That’s a steep 12% increase from last June. But even as prices rise, consumer demand for ground beef remains strong. Advertisement

In March, beef had a demand index of nearly 91, according to data from Kansas State University . The demand index measures the ratio of buying pressure to selling pressure and is scaled out of 120.

The Hearst Television Data team spoke to two experts in the cattle industry and analyzed data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to understand what’s driving the steady increase in ground beef prices and whether the trend will continue.

Andrew Griffith, a professor of agricultural and reso

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