The chance of finding premium Japanese wagyu beef can be pretty rare in the U.S., and Missouri farmers are starting to fill the gap.
A prime cut of wagyu beef exported from Japan on Amazon can cost up to $250 a pound, but what you’re buying is considered the finest piece of meat you can put on a plate.
To be considered authentic wagyu beef, it must come from purebred cows in specific regions in Japan, cows that are relatively scarce with deliberately formulated diets to achieve the proper ratio of fat to red meat, called “marbling.”
And the prices reflect the scarcity: 4 pounds of imported ground wagyu cost $69 on Amazon, a 12-ounce ribeye is $134 and two 8-ounce filets mignons are $250. A 10-pound Japanese wagyu rib roast on Amazon costs $1,215.
So, it is no surprise that Missouri farmers have tried to find a way to get into the wagyu business. Today, 51 wagyu beef farms in Missouri are listed with the American Wagyu Association.
But because Japan stopped exporting genetically pure wagyu cattle in 1997, declaring it a “national treasure,” most American farmers crossbreed the cattle with Angus beef cows.
Only a very small percentage of farmers in the U.S. have full-blooded stock descended from original bloodlines that are registered with the association.
Crossbreeding lowers the price, but American-raised wagyu beef is still quite expensive: Ground wagyu averages $14 to $16 per pound, ribeyes can cost $60 to $120 or more per pound, and a 7-pound rib roast costs more than $400.
Wagyu in Missouri
Douglas Wagyu Cattle Co. in Greenfield was established in 2020 by Jake and Cristina Douglas. The couple started the farm after Jake Douglas retired from the Navy and fell in love with Japanese A5 wagyu beef, the highest grade available.
“We both love wagyu,” Douglas said.
The farm was named grand champion winner at the 2024 Triple Crown Steak challenge, the only wagyu steak competition in the U.S.
Douglas said he and his wife follow the traditional Japanese model of raising wagyu beef on their farm, with humane practices, special feed, handpicked genetics and limited production.
The farm typically raises 80 to 100 wagyu cattle at a time, with eight to 10 feeder steers kept in a barn in separate pens. This allows them to monitor each animal’s health and measure the amount of grain and wheat each cow is fed.
“My goal is to make the perfect steak,” Douglas said.
Hiroshi Ranch in Kaiser, Missouri, was founded in 2016 and sells its wagyu beef throughout the country.
The cattle at Hiroshi Ranch are free range, said Stephen George, who works at the ranch. They graze on grass in the pasture and are fed a combination of organic cacao powder, flaxseed oil and pirella oil.
The diet is designed to add a distinctive flavor to the meat, with a subtle chocolate essence, according to the Hiroshi Ranch website.
Why is it so expensive?
In Japan, wagyu is the collective name for the four principal Japanese breeds of beef cattle, all stemming from early 20th-century crossbreeding between native Japanese cattle and imported stock, mostly from Europe.
In addition to wagyu, the same breeds of cattle can be referred to as Kobe beef, Matsusaka beef, Yonezawa beef or Omi beef.
In Japan, smaller land parcels allow only 10 to 100 cattle to graze on a feedlot, which gives farmers a chance to monitor them directly. They are fed for up to two years with a special diet. If cared for properly, the cattle mature with a natural ability to marble a high-caliber piece of beef.
Usually, the end product of wagyu beef grades higher on the USDA grading scale, Smith said.
- F1: 50% Wagyu and 50% Angus beef
- F2: 75% Wagyu and 25% Angus beef
- Purebred: Almost fully Wagyu, but not 100%
- Full blood: 100% Wagyu
In the 1970s and ‘80s, Japanese wagyu was introduced to an international audience, which drove demand in the U.S. The limited number of wagyu cattle after Japan banned exports in the ‘90s only contributed to its appeal, as it banned both live cattle and their DNA.
In recent years, influential chefs and upscale restaurants began to market wagyu beef as luxury items on their menu. When American ranchers and farmers successfully began to raise beef that rivaled its Japanese counterparts, it became more available to home cooks.
Today, history, scarcity, reviews and marketing have converged to elevate wagyu beef to premium status.
“Wagyu cattle produce arguably the finest beef in the world,” said Gracie Smith, director of marketing and promotions for the American Wagyu Association.
This story was originally published by the Columbia Missourian.
