COVID-19 has fundamentally changed consumer behavior and the U.S. economy. The effects are unprecedented and it is difficult to determine how long the impact will last.
Does the beef industry need additional packer slaughter capacity? Recent history suggests cattle prices were highest when packing capacity utilization was lowest, but the answer is complex.
Over the past five years carcasses grading Choice represent 82% of slaughter, and carcass weights are also on a steady trend higher which is a cautionary sign for cattle feeders.
As a new decade begins, the beef industry’s voice must become one if producers are to benefit from the many opportunities presented today while confronting numerous challenges.
