Despite Drought, Cow Slaughter Trends Lower

Significantly higher volumes of Mexican imported feeder cattle were noted the last two weeks of May and throughout June which offset the lower volumes recorded through the first 4.5 months of the year.

Canada, the last of three countries to adopt the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade agreement, rushed through ratification of the pact on Friday.

Mexico becomes the first country to approve the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Free Trade Agreement.

Mexico's Senate has voted to ratify the new trade agreement with the United States and Canada.

More than 960 groups representing the U.S. food and agriculture value chain at the national, state and local are urging Congress to quickly ratify the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

“Friday was a big day for us in the beef business,” said Colin Woodall, vice president of regulatory affairs for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, told AgriTalk host Chip Flory on Monday.

Mexico and Canada lift retaliatory duties on U.S. red meat on May 20, a tremendous opportunity for U.S. pork and beef producers.

Beef producing countries like Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Mexico are gaining greater access into Japan thanks to lowered tariffs, giving those exporters a significant advantage over U.S. beef producers.

The Republican congressman whose district spans one-third of the U.S.-Mexican border, says over 1,000 ranchers and farmers will be impacted if plans to build a border wall proceed.

“There's no other market that can absorb the beef volume and the value of what we're selling into Japan,” said Kent Bacus, NCBA director of trade and market access. “We have level the playing field."