Beef Cattle Market Impacted by Limited Packer Capacity
Four experts offered a diverse group of Congressional members on Wednesday, ideas for addressing urgent challenges within the beef supply chain.
American Cattle News
California Leads Nationwide Milk Production Increases for June
Milk production in the United States expanded by more than 3 percent during the month of June, according to the latest data from USDA.
Cattle on Feed Lower as U.S. Herd Shrinks
The nation’s cattle herd is in contraction, and has been confirmed by the latest July Cattle on Feed Report.
Expanding Drought in U.S. Signals Another Herd Reduction
The U.S. cattle herd experienced a drawdown in live animals about ten years ago on the heels of a severe drought across the Southwest. Today, the industry is looking at a similar situation.
Cattle Industry’s 75 Percent Plan, Now Fully Operational
In an effort to increase price transparency in the cattle market, an industry-wide group developed a 75 percent plan as a path to a voluntary solution.
USDA Begins Rolling Out Another Livestock Indemnity Program
USDA recently announced that livestock and poultry producers who suffered losses during the pandemic due to insufficient access to processing can apply for assistance for those losses and the cost of depopulation and disposal of the animals.
Ag Secretary Outlines Goals Related to Presidential Order
While traveling through his home state of Iowa, Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack announced USDA intends to make significant investments to expand processing capacity and increase competition in meat and poultry processing.
Average All-Milk Prices Increasing Despite Higher Input Costs
The U.S. average all-milk price increased by a full dollar per hundredweight from a month earlier to $18.40 in April according to the National Milk Producers Federation.
Caprock Cattle Educational Series: Dairy Honors Program
Floyd and Hale County’s Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Agents are your hosts for a series of talks with experts for the 2021 Caprock Cattle Educational Series. This month’s guest is Dr. Cassandra Olds with Kansas State University.
Southeast Asia now top destination for dairy exports
Over the past decade, U.S. milk production has increased by an average annual growth rate of 1.5 percent while domestic demand has increased at a slightly slower pace.
Dairy Industry Rebounding from Epic Decline, Demand Increasing
Domestic milk production has been increasing, pressuring milk prices since early May, but year-over-year growth comparisons are somewhat misleading due to last year’s atypical seasonal production patterns.
Senate Ag Committee Hears Growing Concerns From Cattlemen
There’s one issue in the cattle industry that just isn’t going away anytime soon; the one dealing with market disruptions and a lack of price transparency.
No Surprise that Cattle Marketings Soar in May
Cattle on feed in the U.S. as of June 1, 2021 are at the second-highest level in recorded history, according to the latest data from USDA.
Senate Commerce Committee Committed to Livestock Hauler’s Exemption
Last week the Senate Commerce Committee voted on a bipartisan basis to include the backend 150 air-mile extension for livestock haulers to the Surface Transportation Investment Act of 2021.
NCBA Calling for End of Misleading Beef Labels
While some cattle producers, commodity groups, and individuals call on Congress and USDA to renew the mandatory Country of Origin Labeling law, there is a current label that one group says needs to go away.
Another Bill Introduced Calling on Cattle Market Transparency
A cattle market that is out of balance is leading to more calls for transparency, especially in Congress.
Beef Exports Setting New Value and Volume Records
Despite supply-chain challenges, including a shortage of available shipping containers on the West Coast, 2021 has become the most successful year for beef exports ever.
Larger Dairies More Likely to Thrive Than Others
If you’re going to play in dairy, you better plan to play big.
Caprock Cattle Educational Series: Integrated Pest Management
Floyd and Hale County’s Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Agents are your hosts for a series of talks with experts for the 2021 Caprock Cattle Educational Series. This month’s guest is Dr. Cassandra Olds with Kansas State University.
JBS Hit by Ransomware Attack Linked to Russia
Just one week after opening a new $68 million facility in Moberly, Missouri, JBS was struck by a ransomware attack Tuesday that shutdown 13 packing plants across the United States.
American Cattle News 5/24- 5/28
American Cattle News for week of May 24, 2021
Thune Urges Senate Judiciary Hearing on Cattle Markets
As cattlemen and industry representatives become exhausted with the disconnect between prices paid to sellers and record profits for meat packers, one senator has called on the Senate Judiciary Committee to hold a hearing on the possible improper and anti-competitive activity in the cattle market.
Ag Credit Conditions Improving, Though Slowly for Cattlemen
After a sharp rebound at the end of 2020, conditions in the broad agricultural economy continued to improve alongside additional increases in crop prices.
Normally Bearish Cattle On Feed Tempered By Expectations
Last Friday’s Cattle on Feed report is considered relatively neutral to bearish due to higher-than-expected placements.
United States Cattle on Feed Up 5 Percent
Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market are seeing the second-highest May 1 inventory since 1996.
American Cattle News 5/17 – 5/21
American Cattle News for week of May 17, 2021
Declines in Meat Consumption Highlight Challenge for Corn
One of the largest customers for U.S. corn is the livestock feeding industry, accounting for 40 percent of all purchases while the industry gobbles up more than 60 percent of domestic soybean production.
Some Public Policy Decisions Forego Science for Emotion
Sometimes we think we know the right thing to do based on assumptions, but the decision to pull whole milk from public schools a decade ago is “a perfect example of misguided public policy based on bad science”.
Trade Groups Discuss Challenges in Marketing Finished Cattle
The meeting, hosted by the Livestock Marketing Association, found an open and candid discussion on packer concentration, capacity, and oversight.
American Cattle News 5/10 – 5/14
American Cattle News for week of May 10, 2021
Cattle Feeders Face Uncertainty as Corn Prices Rally
In just 90 days, July 2021 corn futures increased almost $2 per bushel bringing relief to row-crop producers struggling from low prices, but providing a new challenge for livestock feeders facing lower beef prices.
American Cattle News 5/3 – 5/7
American Cattle News for week of May 3, 2021
Caprock Cattle Educational Series: Winter Weather Impact
Floyd and Hale County’s Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Agents are your hosts for a series of talks with experts for the 2021 Caprock Cattle Educational Series.
Future of Beef Industry May Rest With Cattlemen
As cash cattle prices hold the line between $118 to $120 per hundredweight this week, the online Cattle Market Report suggests that the assault on beef producers has been unrelenting and calls for government investigations in the obscene profits of the processors will only find no illegal activity.
USDA Updating 2022 Dairy and Livestock Insurance Programs
USDA has announced updates to two popular livestock insurance policies in an effort to improve options and create additional opportunities for producers to participate.
American Cattle News 4/26- 4/30
American Cattle News for week of April 26, 2021
Dairy Producers Make Least From Off-Farm Income
Though some producers are able to supplement their income with off-farm jobs, the Economic Research Service says dairy producers are the least likely to do so.
Tyson Becomes First Processor to Join Traceability Project
In a sign of what seems to be coming for the livestock industry, Tyson Foods last week joined U.S. CattleTrace. The program launched three years ago to assist animal health officials with a quick and effective means to respond to any foreign disease outbreak in the beef industry.
Do You Know Where and What Cattle Eat?
If you run cattle on pastures, do you know where and what they prefer to eat? That’s a question researchers with the Central Plains Experimental Range are trying to answer.
Despite Placements, Cattle on Feed Report Within Expectations
USDA released their monthly Cattle on Feed Report for April 1, and for one brokerage firm, there were no surprises.
American Cattle News 4/19- 4/23
American Cattle News for week of April 19, 2021
When Beef Supply Chain Tightens, Imports Usually Increase
Since 2000, imports of beef have represented about 11 percent of total U.S. beef production, while exports reflect about 9 percent.
Lack of Packer Participation Moves Government-Induced Regulation Closer
The beef cattle industry appears to be close to more regulation following the meatpacker’s lack of participation in a voluntary program.
American Cattle News 4/12- 4/16
American Cattle News for week of April 12, 2021
Beef Exports Off to Slow Start, Optimism Ahead
This could be a banner year for beef exports if projections from the U.S. Meat Export Federation are realized.
Dairy Exports Overcome 2020 Challenges, 2021 Looking Brighter
Despite challenges presented by the COVID-19 economic lockdown, exports of U.S. dairy products expanded 9 percent year-over-year in 2020, reaching a total of $6.5 billion.
Livestock Producers Eyeing Additional Assistance Through New Program
Livestock producers may be eligible for new or additional payments under USDA’s latest program, the Pandemic Assistance for Producers.
American Cattle News 4/5 – 4/9
American Cattle News for week of April 5, 2021
Caprock Cattle Educational Series: Industry Update
Floyd and Hale County’s Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Agents are your hosts for a series of talks with experts for the 2021 Caprock Cattle Educational Series.
U.S. Beef Exports Fell in 2020, Rebound Expected
In 2020, the value of U.S. beef & beef product exports contracted 5.5 percent year-over-year, largely due to supply chain constraints and food service struggles in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.