LUFKIN, Texas (KTRE) - Stephanie Johnson co-owns the 11:15 Cattle Company with her husband, raising cattle and selling their own beef in East Texas.

As the price of beef has risen, Johnson said it has become more expensive to be in the business now than when she started.

“We would make more money simply selling our cattle than we would processing our beef and selling it to the public,” she said.

A nationwide cattle shortage has driven up the price of beef, making it increasingly difficult for small producers to turn a profit.

Though demand is high, she said that it’s hard to make a profit when you have to slaughter your cattle, but you can’t pay to replace them.

“Ground beef we sell for $10 a pound. We put it on sale at $7.50 a pound, which is close to grocery store prices, but that

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