TUPELO – Tara Cayson doesn't remember the last time she bought ground beef or  steak – or any cut of beef for that matter – from a grocery store for her family of three. Yet her refrigerator and freezer has plenty of it.

Considering the price of beef these days, the Caysons are faring better than most. Ground beef is averaging $6.89 per pound nationally, up about 9% over the past year. That's about 10 cents lower than the record set in April. The high prices are driven by a combination of factors including tight domestic cattle supply, high input costs and steady consumer demand.

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