John Nalivka

John Nalivka is the president of Sterling Marketing, Inc., which provides economic research and market advisory services to the livestock and meat industries. He became affiliated with Sterling in 1991 as executive vice president and he has owned the company since 1994. Nalivka serves clients across the red meat supply chain from producers to end-users.

Latest Stories
With extremely tight cattle numbers, how quickly can producers expand their herds - if at all. Drought and slim margins mean expansion will be a rather slow-go with many ranchers taking a wait and see approach.
The need for telling beef’s story to the general public, to both beef consumers as well as non-consumers, has become increasingly important and critical to the long-term success of the industry.
Economies of scale is not a difficult concept, and it is one that certainly does not need our government using it to decide what is fair.
What clues can cattlemen glean from historical market activity from December to May for perspective on price trends and profit margins?
Both the inventory of beef cows and total cattle numbers in 2023 will be the lowest since 2014. After seven years of low returns, ranchers now look forward to 2023 with prospects for significant profits.
Retail beef prices are higher, but the more relevant prices are featured prices on the ads that are reported every week by USDA and provide a much more realistic picture of retail meat case activity.
Is the U.S. government attempting to take charge of our food system? John Nalivka suggests current funding programs aimed at strengthening the U.S. beef industry are at odds with the dynamics of the industry.
Carbon counting – which is ill defined – may be one more regulatory hurdle akin to federal lands grazing management plans with somewhat undefinable outcomes but are ridden with regulations.
With rebalancing of the cattle market comes a shift in margins favoring cattlemen. The beef industry outlook going forward hinges on the availability of forage for grazing.
USDA just announced “major actions” to “spur competition, protect producers, and reduce costs.” Such an announcement might be more intimidating to the free market than helpful.