Latest News From Markets

Heavy feeders sold higher last week.
Feeder Cattle Higher Ahead of July 4th

Negotiated cash fed cattle continued to trade at softer prices last week while feeder cattle were called steady to higher at auctions.

Feedlot steers
Tester, Grassley Promote 50/14 Proposal

Montana Senator John Tester and Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley claim American farmers and ranchers face “a grave crisis, and it could hurt every family who buys meat at the grocery store.”

Angus VNR: Beef, Cattle Markets Adjust

Ag economist Derrell Peel says past events provide a case study to current market conditions and give a clue into the way markets respond to disasters.

Cattle trade disappointing
Pre-Holiday Cattle Trade Disappointment

Cattle feeders knew selling ahead of a short holiday week would create additional challenges for cash cattle prices and the ability to move cattle. Unfortunately, trade volumes met low expectations.

Showlists are growing
Formula Cattle Continue As A Drain On The Market

The downward spiral in the cash cattle trade is ongoing as the number of market-ready cattle continues to grow. Showlists are already overburdened to date, and market-ready cattle add to the list weekly.

Feedlot steer
Preparing for Summer Heat

As cattle feeders hold on to fat cattle until the opportunity to be harvested arises, it is important to prepare for periods of extreme heat by developing a heat stress management plan.

Feedlot steers
Derrell Peel: Third Quarter Beef Recovery

Retail grocery will transition from limited beef supplies in recent weeks to ample supplies at the same time food service demand is slowly building this fall.

Feedlot cattle
Fed Cattle Trade Active, But Lower

Negotiated fed cattle trades volumes were higher with the 5-area near 95,000 head. Despite the active cash trade, fed cattle prices traded $5 to $6 lower at $98 to $105, with the bulk of trades at $100 to $102.

Cargill Headquarters
Cargill Launches $15 M Cargill Cares Employee Disaster Relief Fund

Cargill launches the Cargill Cares Employee Disaster Relief Fund to support employees around the world during times of catastrophic or personal disaster.

Feedlot show lists remain large
Cash Cattle Post Another Break Lower

Slaughter numbers approached year-ago levels for the week as beef packers are operating at near-capacity and wholesale beef prices continue lower.

Broilers
Tyson Cooperating With DOJ In Broiler Probe

Tyson's cooperation in the DOJ investigation of price fixing and bid rigging in the broiler industry is part of a request for formal leniency under the agency's Corporate Leniency Program.

Fire at Tyson's Finney County plant Aug. 9, 2019
Grassley Calls For Release Of P&SA Findings On Tyson Fire

Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley asks Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue to publicly release findings from USDA's investigation into beef pricing margins following the fire at Tyson’s plant in Holcomb, Kansas.

Another Lawsuit Alleges Packer Collusion
Another Lawsuit Alleges Packer Collusion

The trustee for a bankrupt Chicago grocery co-op now seeks class-action status in a suit claiming the Big 4 packers conspired to manipulate beef prices paid by wholesalers.

Retail meat cases are slowing returning to normal supplies
Nalivka: Getting The Beef Supply Chain Back on Track

U.S. cattle slaughter was up an estimated 25% over the previous holiday-shortened week as beef packers gradually return to near-normal capacity utilization.

Cash Fed Cattle Much Lower, Feeders Uneven
Cash Fed Cattle Much Lower, Feeders Uneven

Negotiated cash fed cattle drifted lower throughout the week with a range reported at $3 to $10 lower. Feeder cattle sold uneven though demand remains moderate to good.

DOJ Subpoenas Big 4 Beef Packers
DOJ Subpoenas Big 4 Beef Packers

The Department of Justice on Thursday formally demanded information from America’s Big 4 U.S. beef packers regarding potential antitrust violations.

Feedlot bunkline
Missouri Needs A Beef Packing Plant, Lawmakers Say

Missouri lawmakers told a hearing in Jefferson City last week they hope to form a working group to explore the idea of helping secure a beef harvest and processing facility in the state.

Fed cattle prices retreating
New Warning Signs For Fed Cattle Market

This first full-week following the Memorial Day holiday delivers signals cattle markets may see a second wave of downward pressure, the after-shocks of the COVID-19 earthquake.

Cash prices traded steady
The Fake Cash Market May Be Over

Cash prices are steady for now, but Tyson turned down some cattle last week that they thought are now too big, which is a huge concern other feeders may encounter in the near future.

Beef markets recovering
Derrell Peel: Beef Markets Move Past Disruptions

Barring a major setback, it appears that America's beef markets are moving past the worst of the COVID-19 disruptions that have caused upheaval in recent weeks.

Cattle prices steady
Fed Cattle Steady, Boxed Beef Steadily Declines

Cattle prices held firm as slaughter numbers increased and wholesale beef prices declined, though narrowing packer margins will place added pressure on markets in the weeks ahead.

Cattle Backlog May Not Be As Large As Feared
Cattle Backlog May Not Be As Large As Feared

While any tally of cattle waiting on shackle space is – at best – an estimate, an analysis of Cattle on Feed and slaughter data suggests estimates of 1 million cattle backlogged may be overstated by as much as 50%.

Wesley and Joesley Batista
Batista Brothers Cleared To Return To JBS SA

A Brazilian Superior Court ruled Tuesday Joesley and Wesley Batista can return to positions of management at J&F Holding, the parent company of JBS SA, the world’s largest meat packer.

Brazil's JBS Being Sued by Labor Prosecutors Over COVID-19 Outbreak
Brazil's JBS Being Sued by Labor Prosecutors Over COVID-19 Outbreak

Brazilian labor prosecutors are suing meatpacker JBS SA seeking damages and better work conditions after an outbreak of the novel coronavirus at a meat plant in Ipumirim, in the southern state of Santa Catarina.

U.S. beef imports total 11% of consumption.
USDA Data Projects Beef Imports At 11% of U.S. Consumption

Global beef trade is dynamic and trade levels rise and fall based on factors such as changes in currency valuation, areas of drought and global demand.

Friday's COF reports shows the impact of COVID-19
Derrell Peel: COVID-19 Provokes Turbulence In Feedlots

The feedlot industry will spend much of the summer working through the backlog of fed cattle but the hole from March and April feedlot placements should provide a marketing window to catch up by this fall if not before.

Feedlot marketing proposals
Steve Cornett: A Phantom Itch

"A lot of folks think we should mandate with a law—a federal LAW, mind you, because those always work out so well—that more feeders sell in the cash market. But tying feeders’ hands like this isn’t the answer."

CAB Insider: Grid Values Improve, Grade Runs High
CAB Insider: Grid Values Improve, Grade Runs High

Last week’s federally inspected cattle harvest brought a much brighter outlook to the supply chain, as it marked a two-week continuance of increased head counts in the country’s packing facilities.

AgriTalk: R-CALF CEO Discusses Cattle Industry During Pandemic
AgriTalk: R-CALF CEO Discusses Cattle Industry During Pandemic

Bill Bullard, CEO of R-CALF USA spoke with AgriTalk host Chip Flory about the group’s call to open CRP lands, the 50/14 proposal and more.

Beef carcasses
Cattle Slaughter 1 Million Head Short In Six Weeks

Industry analysts say there is a 1 million head backlog of cattle waiting for a harvest slot, and working through those heavy front-end supplies could take months.

The President made a broad statement Tuesday about cattle imports, asking USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue to look into terminating bringing in cattle from other countries, a possible decision that could come with consequences.
Halting Beef Imports Could Hurt Demand, Spark Unintended Consequences

The President made a broad statement Tuesday about cattle imports, asking USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue to look into terminating bringing in cattle from other countries. However, a decision could come with consequences.

Cash cattle prices trend higher
Slowly But Surely Cash Prices Climb

Cash cattle prices traded higher last week, and for the first time in several weeks most of the major beef packing plants should be up and running this week, though not full-throttle.

Cash cattle prices higher
Cash Cattle Higher, Wholesale Beef Lower

Harvest numbers continue to improve as more plants ramp up leading to a steep decline for wholesale beef prices. Feeder cattle saw moderate demand and higher prices.

Feedlot catt;e
SD Farmers Union Seeks To Buy Aberdeen Beef Packer

The South Dakota Farmers Union is seeking investors to help purchase the DemKota Ranch Beef packing plant in Aberdeen, S.D., which has capacity to harvest 1,200 fed cattle per day.

Feedlot bunkline
Nebraska Cattlemen Policy On Negotiated Cash Sales

Nebraska Cattlemen board amended existing policy to strengthen standing language by mandating packers to purchase a minimum of 50% of their weekly slaughter in the negotiated market.

NCBA’s President-Elect Jerry Bohn Discusses 50/14 On AgriTalk
NCBA’s President-Elect Jerry Bohn Discusses 50/14 On AgriTalk

Kansas farmer and cattle feeder Jerry Bohn says any changes or modifications to the cattle marketing arrangements "should be an industry-led solution, not a government-mandated solution.”

Tyson Foods
Tyson Foods To Cut Retail Beef Prices

Tyson Foods said on Wednesday it will discount prices on certain protein products the remainder of this week, and some beef items could be discounted 20% to 30%.

First-of-its-kind report
Farmer Perspectives on Farm-Level Data Collection and Sharing

First-of-its-kind report from Farm Journal’s Trust In Food initiative and The Sustainability Consortium explores the complex relationship among farmers, their operation’s production data and conservation.

Blue Grass Stockyards
Blue Grass Stockyards Partners With Top Dollar Angus

Blue Grass Stockyards and Top Dollar Angus will collaborate around a shared vision to significantly expand the number of Top Dollar Angus verified cattle east of the Mississippi River.

COVID-19 has put higher costs into the system.
Nalivka: Will We See Remarkable Change In The Beef Industry?

Some operational changes made by the packing and processing centers are likely to remain after the COVID-19 pandemic is over, leaving some higher costs in the supply-chain.

Signs Of Recovery In Beef Packing…But How Fast?

The cattle industry sees a glimmer of hope in last week's harvest data, with estimated slaughter at 452,000 head, down 32.2 percent year-over-year, but up 6.4 percent from the prior week.

Cash traded in a wide range
Cash Cattle: Is This The Bottom?

The South saw another wide trading range last week as prices ranged from $95 to $115 per cwt. for cash fed cattle with just two packers active in the negotiated cash market.

Cash cattle traded in a wide range
Bottleneck Eases, Wholesale Beef Marches Higher

Boxed beef cutout values continue to perform like the early days of Bitcoin trading, with Choice advancing $84 per cwt. since last Friday.

How to double heat detection vs checking cows twice a day

No one can go watch their cows and heifers 24/7, but SenseHub™ Beef can, according to Allflex® Livestock Intelligence.

Beef Alliance Director Outlines Proposed Fed Cattle Set-Aside Program
Beef Alliance Director Outlines Proposed Fed Cattle Set-Aside Program

Mary Soukup, managing director of the Beef Alliance, outlined the details of the proposed plan to AgriTalk’s Chip Flory.

Get Cow Status 24/7 in the Palm of your Hand

Remote cow monitoring reaches the beef industry

Answers to common questions about remote monitoring of beef cows

Allflex® Livestock Intelligence FAQ about SenseHub™ Beef

JBS Reopens Green Bay Plant for Limited Operation
JBS Reopens Green Bay Plant for Limited Operation

The plant was closed after cases of COVID-19 sickened workers.

Small butcher plant worker
Joaquin Contente: Smaller Plants Are the Answer

The closure of 90% of American meat plants over the last 50 years isn’t due to a lack of knowledge or a failure to reinvest in facilities – it’s due to decades of lax antitrust enforcement, says Joaquin Contente.

A backlog of fed cattle threatens the beef industry
Proposed ‘Fed Cattle Set-Aside Program’ Surfaces

Modeled after a set-aside program used in Canada after the BSE crisis in 2004, the Fed Cattle Set-Aside Program proposal would fund placing cattle on a maintenance diet for 75 days.