Average ground beef prices in city supermarkets surpassed $6 a pound in June, while the cost of uncooked beef steaks approached $11.50 a pound — the highest in a decade, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Rick West/rwest@dailyherald.com

There’s no question that steak and hamburgers contribute to global warming, driven by cows’ potent methane burps and their wide-ranging grazing habits. But a warming planet with intensifying extreme weather is also affecting the price of your steak and hamburgers.

After years of drought, pastures haven’t been producing enough grass to feed cattle. So ranchers have been sending their animals to the slaughterhouse earlier, cutting back herds even as Americans eat more beef. This is sending prices to record highs.

Average ground beef prices in c

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