Consumer Demands

Optimism Reigns at Joplin Stockyards as Cattle Prices Hit Historic Highs

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 14:10:23 GMT

Monday is sale day in Carthage, Mo. At the Joplin Stockyards, the air is filled with the rhythmic chant of auctioneers and the shuffling hooves. Among the crowd of buyers, part-owner Jackie Moore watches the ring with a smile, watching a market that is finally paying off for producers.

“Cattle are $100 higher than they were a year ago,” Moore says.

The higher prices and the resulting grins haven’t always been the case for the buyers and sellers sitting ringside at the Moore family’s business. Moore is an industry veteran, having started his career at the stockyards back in 1977, long before the operation moved to its current Carthage location.

“It’s been a long time since 1977,” he reflects.

Moore is grateful many cattlemen today are no longer focused on the years of struggle. Instead, they are seeing cash for their efforts.

“They’re in the driver’s seat now. They’re getting paid for what they’re doing. You know we see those people walk up to the window — you sold 20 head of calves, and they get a check for $50,000. He’s got three little kids at home, a trailer house and 80 acres of land. He’s the happiest guy in the world, and nobody would be happier for him than I am,” Moore says.

Moore is quick to point out the cattle industry is cyclical. While the current environment is prosperous, the question remains: When could the momentum shift? He believes the answer is tied closely to heifer sales and the eventual rebuilding of the national herd. Moore said buyers are purchasing more heifers to breed than they have historically.

“I think we’ve got a year and a half left of this really, really good market. Maybe then, as we see those heifers calve that they’re buying today, that we get enough cattle to satisfy the market,” Moore explains.

External factors are also playing a role in the current market dynamics. The suspension of live cattle imports along the Mexico border has tightened an already record-low cattle inventory. The border has remained closed since last July . While Moore believes a reopening could have an initial impact on the market, he doubts it will significantly alter long-term prices.

“We taught the cartel how to slaughter those cattle, how to feed those cattle, how to make money with those cattle. So consequently, you know, I don’t think there’s gonna be as big a need for them to export those cattle as there once was,” he says.

Midwest Market Solutions president Brian Hoops said there could be a headline risk for algorithm trades when the border opens, but he thinks, realistically, it might not have a large impact because of what has already been priced into the market. He agrees with Moore that processing has changed since the closure.

Moore notes the cattle environment in both Mexico and the U.S. is evolving, even without the steady flow of imports.

“Where this all leads us probably remains to be seen of how long the border is actually closed,” he adds.

Hoops says: “They’ve [Mexico] invested millions and maybe billions of dollars in an infrastructure because the border being closed. It’s kind of a double edged sword where we get a benefit of the border, being closed and having left less cattle here on feed and seeing higher prices, but it’s also forced Mexican producers to invest in infrastructure.”

Moore adds: “What happens down the road? I don’t know. I don’t really know. I’m very optimistic, and I’m bullish at the cattle market. All I know to do is just keep playing the game and enjoy the ride.”

Consumer Demand

On the consumer side, demand for beef continues to grow and is reaching record levels. Nebraska Farm Bureau reports an index created by the Livestock Marketing Information Center (LMIC) to gauge beef demand reached 138 last year, the highest on record and a 10-point jump from 2024.

Director of LMIC Tyler Cozzens says a similar jump has only happened two other times in the last 25 years. He says since 2019, the index increased 27%.

“Prices are extremely high. You’re right about that,” Hoops says. “There’s still optimism that prices are going to continue to move higher because we’re going into the spring grilling season.”

Grilling Season 2026: Will Record Beef Prices Cool Summer Demand?

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 12:44:38 GMT

The cattle industry is closely watching availability as we transition into the spring and summer months.

In a recent issue of “ In the Cattle Markets ,” Bernt Nelson, American Farm Bureau Federation economist, discussed cattle availability and where market conditions could be headed as the industry moves into spring and eventually the summer grilling season when seasonal demand for beef typically peaks.

(American Farm Bureau)

As of March 1, 2026, the total number of cattle on feed is estimated at 11.55 million head. While this is up slightly from last month and down slightly from the same time period as last year, specific trends in placements and marketings suggest a shift in the supply chain:

Placements: 1.61 million head (up 4% from 2025).
Marketings: 1.52 million head (down 7% from 2025).
The Trend: Placements have outpaced marketings in five of the last six months, indicating a growing volume of cattle being prepared for the peak summer demand.

“While marketings have been consistently lower than last year, marking fewer numbers of fed cattle available, it’s important to note that placements have outpaced marketings of cattle in five of the last six months,” he says. “This means more cattle are being placed on feed than are being marketed for beef. This should lead to more cattle being available for beef production during the next several months when grilling demand ramps up.”

Beef Demand and the “Grilling Season” Surge

Memorial Day is considered the unofficial start of grilling season, which typically brings peak seasonal demand for beef. March and April usually bring peak demand for other proteins such as ham and lamb, while beef demand slows.

“This year, demand for beef has risen over the last several weeks, pulling prices higher at a much faster pace than in past years,” Nelson says. “Since January, the Choice beef cutout value has increased by $50.14/cwt. or 13%, from $349.97/cwt. on Jan. 2, 2026, to $400.11/cwt. on March 20, 2026. This is 25% higher than 2025 and has many analysts questioning if the strong demand from grilling season will pull beef prices even higher this summer.”

(American Farm Bureau)

Josh Maples, associate professor of agriculture economics at Mississippi State University, says in a recent “ Southern Ag Today ” article, “The Select cutout has also surged and is at levels only surpassed by May 2020. The gap between the Choice and Select cutout has been narrow during the first few months of 2026, indicating there has not been much of a premium for Choice cattle over Select.”

(Southern Ag Today, USDA-AMS)

He adds boxed beef values tend to build gradually through the first quarter before accelerating in the spring and reaching a seasonal peak ahead of summer grilling season.

“In 2026, the cutout has surged earlier in the year as cyclical market fundamentals are outweighing typical seasonality,” he explains. “Cattle supplies and beef supplies are tight. When supplies are tight, wholesale prices tend to respond quickly. Additionally, buyers may be pulling some purchases forward due to expectations of tight supplies and even higher prices later this spring.”

Increases in the rib and loin primal values since the start of the year are key contributors to the overall cutout value increase.

Maples explains in 2025, the Rib value ran up sharply from March to April, while the Loin value increased from March to June. This year, both primal values have been on a strong uptrend since mid-January.

“For producers, strong early-year boxed beef prices are supportive of fed cattle markets,” he summarizes. “Strong demand and tight supplies are supporting beef values in 2026.”

Economic Headwinds: Recession Risks

While cattle supplies are slow to rebuild, consumer demand can shift rapidly.

“Cattle supplies will take years to rebuild, but demand can change more quickly,” Nelson says. “Events such as a recession could be a threat to the strong demand that has supported beef prices over the last couple of years. Continued strong demand is key to maintaining a strong cattle market in the months to come. If demand begins to fall for any reason, especially during grilling season, beef prices will also begin to fall along with the cutout value. When the cutout falls, the packer has to buy cattle at a lower price, which leads to lower prices at the farm gate.”

As we move toward the summer months, the balance between tight cattle supplies and consumer willingness to pay record prices will define the profitability of the 2026 grilling season.

Your Next Reads:
What Does Talk of $10 Ground Beef Mean to Producers?
High Cattle Prices Driven Not Just by Supply, but Strong Demand

Why Beef Prices Remain High Despite Record-Low Cattle Supplies

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 18:37:38 GMT

Consumer’s demand for beef — not just shrinking cattle numbers — is playing a central role in shaping prices and profitability across the U.S. beef supply chain, according to research from Kansas State University agricultural economists.

Brian Coffey, who co-authored a recent paper examining the U.S. retail beef market, says a microeconomic assessment shows consumer preferences have become a powerful driver of market outcomes, even during a period of historically tight supplies.

“A microeconomic assessment is really about using economic theory and models to help explain what we’re seeing in the real world,” Coffey says. “We make simplifying assumptions and apply economic frameworks to real data so we can isolate what’s driving changes in prices and quantities.”

In this case, Coffey and co-author Glynn Tonsor analyzed retail-level beef data from recent years to better understand how supply and demand interacted as the cattle industry moved through a major contraction. Their findings suggest demand has been stronger than many expected.

The current trajectory began in 2019, Coffey says, when the U.S. beef cow herd reached its most recent peak. Since then, drought, market conditions and other pressures have combined to trigger rapid herd liquidation.

“Since 2019, the number of beef cows in the U.S. has gotten smaller and smaller,” Coffey summarizes. “That’s been front and center when we think about the cattle and beef supply chain.”

By 2023, the industry was still firmly in a liquidation phase. Fewer cows meant fewer animals available for feeding, and cow slaughter also declined compared with 2022, creating another supply shock. Yet the total amount of beef available to consumers held steady.

The reason, Coffey explains, was innovation. Advances in genetics, feeding methods and technology allowed feedlots to finish cattle at heavier weights and produce larger carcasses with more high-quality beef. Imports of lean trim also played a key role, helping maintain ground beef supplies — a cornerstone of the U.S. market.

“As an industry, we really stepped up,” Coffey says. “We had fewer animals, but we were able to offset that with heavier weights and imports.”

The result was that total retail beef availability in 2024 was actually higher than in 2023, even though individual cuts varied in availability. Prices, however, moved higher.

“Between 2023 and 2024, we did see a price increase,” Coffey says. “That’s interesting because basic economics tells us that when supply goes up, prices usually go down. Instead, we had more beef, and people paid more for it.”

That divergence points directly to demand. Consumers, Coffey says, were willing to pay higher prices, signaling a stronger underlying value for beef.

Looking ahead, Coffey expects 2025 data to show a modest decline in retail beef supply — likely a few percent — as production efficiencies can no longer fully offset declining cattle numbers. Prices, he said, are again expected to rise.

The key takeaway for producers is clear.

“Demand really matters,” Coffey says. “What consumers think about beef feeds all the way back up the supply chain and determines profitability. Strong consumer demand right now is providing price support beyond what supply factors alone would explain.”

Your Next Reads:
Consumer Craze for Protein Drives Beef Demand
Consumers Confirm Protein is In: Meat Continues to Have Its Moment on the Plate
How Many Minutes Does a Consumer Have to Work to Buy A Pound of Ground Beef?

Consumer Craze for Protein Drives Beef Demand

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 15:10:17 GMT

The industry has made substantial progress in beef quality, with strong consumer demand supporting premium pricing. Quality grade improvements and consistency have been major success stories.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the average retail price of ground beef rose to a record $6.32 per pound in August 2025.

This is up from $6.25 in July and $5.74 in August 2024. Prices for certain beef cuts might ease with the end of peak grilling season, but ground beef prices remain historically high.

Don Close, Terrain senior animal protein analyst, says: “What we have seen so far is consumers have been incredibly loyal to protein collectively, but they have been especially loyal to beef. Beef is actually continuing to gain market there — even at the current prices — at the expense of the other protein.”

Close says when he correlates the monthly all fresh beef price to hourly wages, he found they are in lock step.

“Yes, beef prices have escalated, but beef prices have not risen any faster than the improvement in overall hourly wage,” he explains. “So, from the consumer’s perspective, their share of their paycheck committed to beef is essentially the same as it’s been on a comparative basis for years.”

Other contributing factors to beef demand include consumers’ craze for protein and the impact of GLP-1 diets on protein consumption.

According to Dave Weaber, Terrain senior animal protein analyst, beef spending has dramatically increased since COVID-19 —outpacing pork and poultry combined. Weaber says consumers are now spending about $84 more per capita annually on beef compared to the 2005-2015 period.

He attributes this growth to several factors:

Improved beef quality: The industry has seen a substantial increase in Prime and Choice beef, with nearly 85% of heifers and 75% of steers now grading in these top categories.
Changing consumer preferences: Younger generations are spending more on high-quality beef, both in restaurants and at home, driven by increased cooking skills and appreciation for beef’s flavor and quality.
Health perception: Beef is now viewed more positively as a health product, with increased transparency and better communication from the industry.

Close says the role of strong demand can’t be ignored and is likely to continue.

“I think it’s certainly through 2026 and, really more realistically, somewhere deep into 2027,” he summarizes.

The State of the Beef Industry Report includes input from nearly 500 beef producers. The annual report provides information to help producers when making decisions. Click here to download the full report.

For more insights to the report as well as producer and economist perspectives, watch the State of the Beef Industry Webinar exclusive on FarmJournal.tv . The panel includes Odde along with Matt Perrier, Angus seedstock producer from Kansas, and Lance Zimmerman, RaboResearch senior beef industry analyst. You won’t want to miss their thoughts on the beef industry today and in the future.

Your next read: 6 Challenges Facing the Beef Industry Today

How Much Meat Will the U.S. Eat in 2025 and 2026?

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 15:48:45 GMT

Domestic availability of red meat, poultry and eggs is projected to increase in 2025, driven by gains in chicken and pork availability, and is expected to rise further in 2026, reports the USDA Economic Research Service (ERS). This increase stems from USDA’s forecast of per capita supply available for use on the domestic market.

How are these numbers determined? ERS says availability, also known as disappearance, serves as a proxy for consumption and includes fresh and processed meat and eggs sold through grocery stores and used in restaurants.

“The latest USDA data indicate 226 lb. of red meat and poultry and about 22 dozen eggs are available per U.S. consumer in 2025. By 2026, per capita availability is forecast to increase to 227 lb. for red meat and poultry and to 23 dozen eggs,” ERS reports.

Data for 2025 and 2026 are forecasts. Per capita meat availability serves as a proxy for consumption and does not reflect indirect uses, such as pet food or food waste.

(Data: USDA)

Chicken Projected to Be Most Consumed Animal Product
For chicken, per capita availability of broiler meat has been growing for many years and is projected to reach 102.7 lb. in 2025 and 102.8 lb. in 2026, ERS says. This will make it the most consumed animal product in the U.S.

However, availability of turkey has been falling in recent years and is projected to reach a low of 13.0 lb.per person in 2025 but increase to 13.6 lb. in 2026.

Per capita table egg availability for 2025 is projected at 21.5 dozen and is projected to increase to 22.9 dozen per person in 2026.

Pork and Beef Projections
ERS reports that pork availability per capita is projected at 49.7 lb. in 2025 and 50.9 lb. in 2026, up from 49.9 lb. in 2024.

Meanwhile, per capita beef availability for 2025 is projected to be slightly lower than 2024 at 58.5 lb., but is projected to decrease further to 56.9 lb. per person in 2026.

Retail Beef Prices Hit New Record in July: Consumers Show No Sticker Shock

Sun, 17 Aug 2025 19:56:00 GMT

Consumers are showing no signs of sticker shock when it comes to beef demand.

USDA reports retail beef prices for July hit record levels, closing in on $9 per lb. That’s a sharp increase from last month’s record.

Patrick Linnell, director of market research with CattleFax, says consumers just continue to pay higher prices for beef.

Retail Beef Prices Hit Record in July
“The July data that just came out showed a 27% increase from the month of June, up to $8.90 per pound for beef,” he says. “The consumer’s demand for beef is just relentless.”

(USDA, CattleFax )

The retail beef price is also up 9.2% from last year, with individual cuts also setting records — including ground beef at $6.25 per lb.

“You dive deeper into that report and really all categories of beef continue to point higher. Choice beef was up almost 15% and ground beef up 14%,” Linnell says.

(USDA, CattleFax)

The strong demand for beef is tied to several factors:

High Quality of Beef
For years, cattle producers and the cattle industry have worked on genetic improvements to upgrade the eating experience.

Linnell says, “I think that goes to just the continued quality improvements that we’ve had in the recent decades — record percentages of choice in Prime and upper two-thirds Choice. With a better quality product, you can gain a higher price.”
Protein Craze
The current protein craze is also a contributing factor, according to Linnell.

“Some of the cultural movements — valuing protein in the diet, including the weight loss drugs and cultural attitudes toward protein. I think beef is a major beneficiary of that.”
Strong General Economy
However, the economy and low unemployment rates are also supporting consumer spending for beef.

Kent Beadle, Paradigm Futures, says demand is helping to drive the higher cattle prices.

“We are waiting for the consumer to balk. That’s really the only thing that’s going to turn beef prices lower is when the consumer says no more,” he explains.

So, as long as that demand holds, it will help keep cattle prices strong.

Beadle adds, “That’s the driver. We just don’t have enough supply for the demand that we have for beef in this country.”

And that won’t change overnight.

Consumers Confirm Protein is In: Meat Continues to Have Its Moment on the Plate

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 19:21:04 GMT

Key findings from the July Meat Demand Monitor report show an increase in consumers’ willingness to pay for meat compared to June. Both retail and food service demand demonstrated strength, with food service experiencing a particularly notable improvement.

Glynn Tonsor, Kansas State University professor of agricultural economics, describes this as “meat having a moment,” highlighting the continued popularity of protein consumption.

Tonsor shared results of the July report providing insights into the current state of meat demand across beef, pork and chicken on a recent AgriTalk with Chip Flory.

Taste Trumps Other Considerations

The conversation focused on the dynamics of meat purchasing. Tonsor says that taste and freshness are the primary drivers of consumer choices, outranking price as the most important factors. While environmental concerns, origin traceability and animal welfare claims matter to a niche market (10-20% of consumers), the majority of Americans prioritize eating experience over other considerations.

“For the typical American … taste and freshness carry the day, and importantly, those factors are more important than price,” he says. “So, price matters. No economist can tell your price doesn’t matter, but it’s actually outranked by taste and freshness.”

Taste and freshness regularly are identified in the Meat Demand Monitor as the most common factors on deciding whether or not to buy a meat protein item.

Glynn Tonsor

Price Sensitivity Varies

“We have not found new consumer resistance to price,” Tonsor says.

He emphasizes that ground beef price trends are more critical to monitor as an economic indicator compared to premium steak prices. High-end cuts like ribeye steaks are less affected by price fluctuations, primarily purchased by higher-income consumers who are less concerned about incremental price increases. In contrast, ground beef remains more sensitive to pricing, which is a key concern for many consumers and producers.

“The folks buying a ribeye steak... are much more likely to be higher income and a little bit less sensitive,” he explains.

Economic Uncertainty Hasn’t Dampened Protein Consumption

The current economic landscape presents both opportunities and challenges. Despite macroeconomic challenges like inflation and limited consumer financial improvement meat demand has held up well. Consumers are still prioritizing protein purchases, particularly in retail channels.

Tonsor says only 19% of consumers reported improved financial conditions in July, with 81% indicating stable or worsening financial situations. According to Tonsor this metric is crucial because consumers who feel financially secure are more likely to purchase multiple meat protein meals and spend more on food service.

He highlights several macro-economic concerns or challenges that loom on the horizon:

Ongoing tariff uncertainties
Recent upticks in inflation
Growing unemployment concerns, particularly among younger workers

Trends in Pork

Tonsor portrays pork as a competitive protein with potential for growth, actively working to improve its market position through marketing efforts and maintaining strong consumer appeal.

“The pork industry is trying to keep up with the beef demand story that we’ve had for a few years,” Tonsor says.

The pork industry recently launched a new marketing campaign: “Taste What Pork Can Do.” He points out pork owns the breakfast market with bacon and sausage.

Protein Purchasing Outlets

Tonsor explains consumption varies by meal type. Consumers continue to rely primarily on traditional grocery stores for at-home protein purchases, with different protein types dominating various meal occasions.

For more details on channel specific consumption data, maps and state summaries, check out the Meat Demand Monitor.

Ongoing Market Monitoring is Crucial

The Meat Demand Monitor serves as a critical tool for understanding consumer behavior, providing insights for producers, retailers, and industry stakeholders. By tracking willingness to pay across different market segments, it offers a comprehensive view of protein consumption trends.

Tonsor’s analysis suggests that while caution is warranted, the meat industry continues to demonstrate robust consumer interest and potential for growth.

Meat demand shows resilience despite economic uncertainties. Tonsor notes that while he has maintained a pessimistic outlook throughout the year, the market has consistently performed well.

“It’s very clear beef demand has been good, and it’s mixed or good for the other proteins,” Tonsor summarizes. “But it’s not clear to me that there’s a challenge in any of them.”

3 Factors Fueling Americans' Obsession with Protein

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 15:48:09 GMT

Meat is having a moment, and the craze for more protein is benefiting protein across the board. The fact cattle prices continue to crush records is proof of that, as well as the robust demand for pork.

“I am still bullish of dairy. I’m bullish of beef. I’m bullish of pork and poultry,” says Dan Basse, AgResource Company . “I think as you think forward, I see the next two or three years as being the years of protein. It’s that side of the fence in agriculture that’s going to do very well.”

Basse’s optimistic outlook on protein hinges on one major factor: consumers’ ability to pay for it.

“I’m still bullish of protein, until we see the labor force start to shrink in the United States, and I start to see disposable income coming down. Again, there’s not a period looking backward in history that I can find where disposable income on a personal basis has risen this quickly from 2020 to 2025,” he says.

“Meat protein, not just pork or not just beef, but meat is having a moment. I’m an economist, so I have concerns on the macroeconomic front, but it is exciting to be in an era where the public’s desire for meat protein is growing,” says Glynn Tonsor, a professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Kansas State University.

People Are Eating More Protein Than Ever Before

Cargill’s 2025 Protein Profile found people are eating more protein than ever before. The report found 61% of consumers report increasing their protein intake in 2024, which is up from 48% from 2019.

According to Cargill, the shift in shoppers’ preferences toward whole, minimally processed foods, is giving protein a chance to shine.

“It’s really important to remember the U.S. public wants meat protein,” Tonsor says. “There are a lot of signs. We are in a pro protein environment. I don’t think there’s issues. I actually think there is a celebration about the taste and the eating experience and so forth for all the major proteins.”

A Slight Shift in May’s Monthly Meat Demand Monitor

Tonsor also authors what’s called the Monthly Meat Demand Monitor (MDM) , which tracks U.S. consumer preferences, views and demand for meat. The first half of the year, the MDM continued to show consumers’ growing demand for protein, but in the report in May, it did show a slight shift.

“The biggest takeaway from the MDM would be we have two conflicting patterns,” says Tonsor. “One is the public really wants meat protein, but the macroeconomic environment is giving us some pause. So, we continue to see strong signals people want protein. Taste is leading that decision, so that’s good and very supportive, but we also see lots of uncertainty on the macro-economic front. So, trade discussions, elevated unemployment, inflation concerns and so forth. Those are not supportive of meat demand, so those are the two trends that are fighting the way out.”

Tonsor points out the May MDM showed a pullback in consumers eating away from home, like in restaurants, but showed a boost in retail demand, which would be grocery stores.

“But part of that is a substitution away from restaurants,” he says. “And that’s across the board. It’s not just pork or beef or chicken. It’s all of them that we track, so I do think it is a headwind that is growing here in 2025.”

Tonsor says if confidence in the economy rebounds, and tariff discussions ease, the restaurant piece of meat demand could quickly recover, especially considering we’re entering the summer months, where meat demand is typically higher.

3 Major Drivers Behind the Protein Craze

And even with the pause in restaurant demand in May, Tonsor says the push for consumers to eat even more protein doesn’t seem to be going away, and it’s being driven by three major factors.

“More people are having meat as an ingredient rather than center of the plate. So, it’s coming across as more convenient. It’s an input,” Tonsor says. “Also younger folks in particular are quite physically active, and their demand for protein and that broader lifestyle is elevated.”

Those two factors are strong drivers of meat demand, especially in the younger crowd. But another supportive piece of the growing demand for protein is related to weight loss drugs.

“We have a GLP-1 effect, so Ozempic, Mounjar and so forth, in the MDM, we put out a report earlier this year, showing maybe 15% of the U.S. public is using the GLP-1,” Tonsor says. “That’s a higher end, but that’s what we estimate. And if you are on those products, you’re actually consuming beef, pork and chicken more frequently.”

He says all of those things add up to support the growth in meat demand.

“It’s the income and the future status of my finances is mainly the only headwind at the moment, and that’s why I keep reiterating that concern,” Tonsor says.

Demand is What’s Pushing Cattle Prices to New Highs

It’s not just the hog industry that’s benefiting from the strong demand, both domestically and with exports

Cattle prices continue to crush records. But according to one veteran cattle analyst, it’s not historically tight cattle numbers pushing prices higher, it’s the strong demand.

“This price increase that we’re experiencing in the industry is demand-driven,” says Randy Blach, CEO of CattleFax. “Our per capita supplies were flat last year. They’re going to be flat again this year. And yet we’ve had a market that’s gone from a $1.75 to $2.25. That’s all been demand driven with what we’ve seen throughout the industry.”

The incredible demand is pushing beef demand to its highest level in nearly 40 years.

“Beef demands that are a 37-year high,” he says. “And I think when people think about demand, obviously quality has been the key to that. We’ve seen the quality of the animals being produced has increased substantially.”

As record-high cattle prices also push the cost of beef higher, that would push consumers to eat more pork and chicken in the past. But it’s a trend Tonsor is not largely seeing this time around.

“We see some of that, but not nearly as much as you might think. So, there’s less of that adjustment than historically we would have seen,” Tonsor says. “This is 100% Glynn’s opinion, but I think habits are a little stickier. Persistence of an item in your meal is a little sticker than in the past. Meat is an ingredient, not just the center of the plate. Higher beef prices have not elevated chicken demand as people have expected, and I think it’s because the consumer substitution effects, they exist, but they’re not as strong as they were 20 years ago.”

As consumers crave more protein, it’s a bright spot for all of livestock with many hopeful this isn’t just a trend but a permanent fixture on consumers’ plates.

More Meat, Less Money: What Does This Mean for Future Demand?

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 19:34:38 GMT

The March Meat Demand Monitor shows there’s a slow upward tick in people who are self-declaring that they regularly consume animal products, Glynn Tonsor told AgriTalk host Chip Flory.

The Meat Demand Monitor is an ongoing survey of over 3,000 U.S. residents every month since February 2020.

“We ask folks every month, are you a flexitarian, a vegan, a vegetarian? Do you regularly consume meat?” says Tonsor, professor in the Department of Ag Economics at Kansas State University. “That’s real important because it’s consistent across different reports (like the Power of Meat study ) that the public wants meat. They’re declaring they’re a meat consumer, and that’s great for all species.”

Specific to the March report, Tonsor says the gray cloud on the macroeconomic front is weighing heavy on consumers.

There’s no question the U.S. public in general likes meat, he says. That’s critical to purchasing decisions. But the reality is that consumers must have the financial ability to pay for it.

“Simply having the ability isn’t sufficient,” Tonsor adds. “You’ve got to have the financial sentiment, or the comfort, to let that dollar go. So being employed and having good jobs that keep up with the cost of living is a necessary part of this, but it’s not sufficient on its own. You’ve also got to have the comfort to let those dollars go.”

With more and more discussion centering on tariffs and inflation rising back up in the economy, he points out that the willingness to let that dollar go might turn into an inability to actually do it.

Consumer Finances Are Getting Worse
Although he’s not seeing any pullback in demand, yet, Tonsor says he has concerns about what’s ahead.

“We are seeing self-reported financial sentiment. I ask folks every month, are your finances better? The same or worse than last year? In March, I actually see more people telling me their finances have deteriorated than I did just in February,” Tonsor says.

He notes the big differences between this group and those who say demand is getting better because of what they spend on food, both at home and away from home.

“To be clear here, we don’t see that demand pull back yet, but we do see the canary in the coal mine barking that it might be coming,” Tonsor says.

To keep attracting the younger consumers, he recommends the pork and beef industry stay focused on taste.

“Working backwards from the consumer, there’s this clear signal that taste and freshness are paramount,” Tonsor says. “I would argue that all three major protein species have made headways, and I suspect we’ll continue to do so in helping the U.S. public have access to those tasty, fresh, convenient products.”

Editor’s Note: The Meat Demand Monitor is supported by the Beef and Pork Checkoff.

Your Next Read: Millennials and Protein Craze Boost Meat Sales to Record High

The Farm Babe: 3 Ways To Become A More Effective Advocate

Fri, 28 Feb 2025 14:49:04 GMT

Florida-based Michelle Miller is a farmer, social media influencer and speaker well known for her brand “ The Farm Babe. ” Through these platforms, she connects with consumers and debunks misconceptions about modern agriculture.

Miller recently joined an episode of the Ag Inspo podcast with hosts Rena Striegel and Ron Rabo to share more about her platform and what others in the ag industry can do to better reach consumers.

Have a Point of View
One of the keys to reaching a large audience and gaining traction, Miller says, is to make sure your content stands out.

“Part of my driving force is I had more of a big city background. Sometimes farmers take their perspective for granted because it’s all they know and all they’ve ever done. But for somebody on the outside looking in, it’s pretty incredible,” she says. “People have no idea what a harvest looks like. They have no idea what a combine does. They don’t know how livestock are raised. They’ve never seen the birth of a calf. How cool is that? Share it.”

Find What You’re Comfortable With
Maybe you have an interesting message to share, but–like many farmers–aren’t the type who is comfortable in front of the camera. Miller says there’s a way to make that work, too.

“Some of the greatest people to follow, in my opinion, are great to follow because you feel like you know them,” she says. “What were to happen if you were to bring your dog, your kids, your spouse or that goofy grandma or somebody who makes people laugh?”

Other great storytelling tools are captions and voiceovers.

“Maybe the video is just your equipment, but through the caption you can say, ‘Here is my John Deere combine. When we started farming in the ‘80s, it was $50,000 and now this is $900,000.’ You can create a message that improves policy and raises awareness and education for the general public through the caption,” Miller says.

Shoot Your Shot
Sometimes reaching the consumer is as simple as taking a chance and contacting them directly.

Miller recalls doing this when Burger King released a commercial that painted agriculture in a negative light, promoting its new initiative of feeding cattle lemongrass to reduce methane emissions.

“I thought ‘what if we could just have a conversation?’ So I Google searched who the global chief marketing officer for Burger King was, and I just sent him a tweet politely explaining why we found the ad so offensive, and inviting him to come on out to the farm,” she explains.

Burger King took her up on that offer.

“Their C-suite executives came out to the farm, and then I put together a two day tour. We went to a methane digester, feed lots and my farm. I had Iowa State involved, Iowa Farm Bureau and some ruminant nutritionists,” Miller says. They ended up retracting that original ad, and they did a new ad. A new commercial was filmed on my farm, as well as in northeast Iowa with a bunch of other farmers.”

As far as how to get started as an agriculture advocate, Miller offers this advice:

“Just take a step back and try to think about what you do and why. What are the greatest parts of your job? Tell that story, because you might see it every day, but the average person doesn’t. That’s the content that you put out there.”

Industry Shifts: What Cattle Producers See Coming In the Next 5 Years

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 20:44:52 GMT

Editor’s Note: This article is part of the Drovers 2024 State of the Beef Industry report, which includes an exclusive survey of cattle producers and their thoughts on numerous topics of importance to the future of their operations. To download the full report, click here .

In 2023, the State of the Industry Report asked about five aspects related to consumer pressure and expectations for change in the future: environmental impact, animal welfare, sustainable practices and desire of high-quality beef. In every instance, a strong majority of producers either agreed or strongly agreed each of those items will be increasingly important in the years to come. The numbers in 2024 line up almost exactly with 2023.

The survey report summarizes it succinctly: Producers foresee continued industry change ahead, mostly driven by consumer pressure.

Drovers State of the Beef Industry 2024 Report

(Farm Journal)

Viability is Top of Mind

Despite the challenges, producers are thinking to the future with plans to add a family member and grow their herd size. In fact, 54% of producers in this year’s survey indicate they plan to add a family member to the operation (versus 51% in 2023).

Even though it doesn’t appear the business will see rapid rebuilding , there are indications many of these operations are viable and plan on remaining that way in the future. That’s certainly a sign of brewing optimism among the respondents.

Your Next Read: Are Cattle Producers Rebuilding Their Herds Now?

Food Inflation Outlook for 2023 Drops Below Previous Projections

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 20:34:01 GMT

USDA expects food price inflation for 2023 to be slightly lower at 5.8% compared to the previous projection of 5.9%.

The grocery store price inflation forecast has been significantly reduced by a whole percentage point to 4.9%. Food price inflation for 2024 is expected to considerably decrease compared to 2023, with an expected rise of 2.4%.

Restaurant prices are predicted to increase slightly less than before, now at 7.5% as compared to previous 7.7%. For 2024, a 6.1% rise in restaurant prices is anticipated.

Interestingly, some food categories are expected to experience price declines in 2024, including pork, eggs, and dairy products. Notably, egg prices have shown significant volatility, escalating by as much as 37.8% in February 2023, yet ultimately expected to only rise 2% over the year.

USDA’s initial forecasts often undergo revisions, as seen in the fluctuations in 2023 food price inflation predictions beginning from July 2022. This dynamic forecasting, which includes various inputs like energy, labor, and maintenance costs, particularly affects restaurant prices.

For 2024, USDA projects that food price inflation will be lower than that seen in 2023 and significantly lower than the rise seen in 2022, though these are initial forecasts and subject to changes as more data comes in. However, despite the reductions, consumers will continue to pay more than the 20-year average for all types of food, marking a four-year trend. The anticipated reductions have been tied to interest-rate increases initiated by the Fed.

Pasture to Plate: A Culture-Driven Beef Business

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 17:09:52 GMT

The Ducheneaux family reconnects consumers with their food source

Kelsey Ducheneaux-Scott sat on her front porch, stared out across rolling pastures and thought, “What the hell did I do?” She had just heaved box after box into freezers in the living room, kitchen and laundry room — carefully dispensing 1,700 lb. of ground beef.

Exhausted from the haul (and hoping the circuits wouldn’t blow due to strategically placed freezers) Ducheneaux-Scott couldn’t believe the sheer amount of work before her. How was she going to sell so much grass-fed burger in three months, before her next butcher appointment? Anxiety and stress seeped in during that cold March night in 2020. Little did she know how quickly that product would move.

“COVID hit and there was no beef in any of our stores,” Ducheneaux-Scott recalls. “We sold out of that 1,700 lb. in a matter of three weeks. People realized how easily local grocery stores can be disrupted here in rural South Dakota.”

(Farm Journal)

PASTURE TO PLATE

With a focus on feeding those around her, Ducheneaux-Scott is leading a transformation of her family’s operation. DX Ranch was established in the 1930s near Eagle Butte, S.D., on the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation. It began with beef cattle and draft horses.

Today, Ducheneaux-Scott and her husband, Monte Scott, work alongside her family raising quarter horses and 280 head of cow-calf pairs in a regenerative production system.

“I am a fourth-generation rancher on DX Ranch, and I’m the 125th generation to steward this landscape,” Ducheneaux-Scott says. “We’ve focused on ensuring we’re not just thinking about the livestock above ground but also thinking about the livestock below ground.”

(Farm Journal)

FATHER-DAUGHTER DUO

For her entire life, Ducheneaux-Scott has worked alongside her father, Zach Ducheneaux. That was until early 2021, when Ducheneaux was selected by the Biden administration to serve as the Farm Service Agency administrator (he received the call for the position while they were at the sale barn).

Luckily, Ducheneaux had prepared his daughter to be a leader on the ranch and in life. They are members of the Lakota tribe, which is a matriarchal society.

“My dad never let me think I couldn’t do something because I was a girl,” Ducheneaux-Scott says. “He empowered me to believe I could do things better because I was a girl and had a different perspective.”

After college, Ducheneaux-Scott wanted to be a rancher and bought into the family’s cowherd in 2016.

“I was obsessive in watching those calves grow that year,” she says. “I might as well have had names and birth certificates for every calf.”

After selling that calf crop, Ducheneaux-Scott headed back to the ranch and pondered the future.

“I drove through two counties that face food insecurity,” she says. “I thought, golly, the system is so broken. We have up to 80,000 head of cattle grazing on 3.2 million acres here on the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation, and there isn’t any local beef being packaged and made available for purchase. The beef grown here is phenomenal, but none of us get to actually eat it.”

At home, she scribbled down a bunch of ideas and started a business plan. That plan morphed into DX Beef , which has a simple mission: Provide nutritious and local beef that improves its communities.

The direct-to-consumer business featuring their 100% grass-fed beef has expanded in the past two years and is helping the family move away from the commodity market model.

“For the first 90 years of our existence, we’d largely been victim to the commodity markets just like everyone else,” Ducheneaux says. “Behind the effort of Kelsey, in 2020, for the first time, we sold more beef in the box than we did on the hoof. A tremendous advocate for buying, selling and serving

locally, she’s found a way to provide healthier, grass-finished beef to our fellow reservation residents at a price they can afford.”

In 2019, the family sold 12 head of cattle through their business. In 2020, they sold close to 80. This year the total will top 110.

All beef is processed and mostly sold through their online store. To meet local needs, it is sold by the pound or portion of the whole beef. They even do wholesale orders for nearby restaurants.

(Farm Journal)

CULTURE AND TRADITION

The hurdles of small-scale direct marketing are difficult to overcome. Yet Ducheneaux-Scott is seeing great success thanks to her marketing and organizational skills. Through storytelling, which is rooted in their Lakota culture, the family uses technology to share the story of their ranch and products.

“Family comes before the dollar in this operation,” Ducheneaux says. “We’re not solely about monetizing the value of that product, and we realize there are other values to our beef.”

(Farm Journal)

Their story is shaped by their love and respect for the 7,000 acres of tribal land they manage through a tribal lease.

“I’m a grass and soil nerd,” Ducheneaux-Scott says. “Soil health is so critical to a resilient ecosystem. Our grazing system is focused on mimicking nature. This ecosystem evolved from having cloven-hoofed bison and other wildlife graze at a pace that allowed for a robust rest period, so we practice rotational grazing.”

The DX Ranch herd is an Angus base, influenced with breeds that will help the cattle handle the sometimes-brutal central South Dakota climate, Ducheneaux-Scott says. From changing their calving season to May to decrease cattle stress to steadily increasing soil health, the Ducheneaux family aims to work with Mother Nature.

“We have flexibility in our management so we can listen to what the landscape is telling us because she knows better than we do,” Ducheneaux-Scott says. “We

are simply another biological species that’s a part of this greater ecosystem.”

Listen as Kelsey Ducheneaux-Scott discusses her operation with Andrew McCrea on the “Farming the Countryside” podcast:

OTHERS BEFORE ONESELF

As a producer, business owner and member of her nation, Ducheneaux-Scott says she is driven by the opportunity and honor to feed others.

“I’ve come to appreciate having someone tell say your beef tasted good or how they brought their family together around our product,” she says. “Those are the experiences that make feeding cows in a blizzard, slopping through the mud to check calves and sleepless nights all worth it.”

(Farm Journal)

Snapshot of DX Ranch

Operation: DX Ranch includes quarter horses and 280 head of cow-calf pairs in a regenerative production system on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation near Eagle Butte, S.D. The ranch is also home to DX Beef, a direct-to-consumer business featuring their 100% grass-fed beef.

Family: Following in the footsteps of her father, Zach Ducheneaux, Kelsey Ducheneaux-Scott is the fourth generation of her family to ranch. She and her husband, Monte Scott, work with several members of her family in the operation.

Leadership: Ducheneaux-Scott is the director of programs for the Intertribal Agriculture Council, which provides a voice for the Native American community on ag policy and programs. In 2021, Ducheneaux was selected to lead the Farm Service Agency, where he oversees 10,000 employees.

Travel to Gettysburg, S.D., and virtually visit DX Ranch.

Prop 12: A Different Kind of California Wildfire

Fri, 12 May 2023 15:42:08 GMT

Proposition 12 legislation took effect in California on Jan. 1, 2022. National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) assistant vice president and general counsel Michael Formica predicts Proposition 12 repercussions will be seen in California as early as this morning.

The law requires egg-laying hens, calves raised for veal and breeding pigs (sows) to be able to lie down, stand up, and turn around in the spaces in which they are housed, without touching the sides of the stall, or another animal.

Most sows are housed in individual pens. Proposition 12 prescribes sows must have at least 24 square feet of floor space to move around, which would effectively require large group pens.

California’s Position

California raises about 8,000 sows—only 1,500 in commercial production—while maintaining a market demand of roughly 700,000 sows. California’s pork needs are generally met through states like Iowa, Minnesota and others in the Midwest.

Formica says only 4% or 5% of U.S. pork production is currently compliant with Proposition 12 legislation.

Various retailers have pleaded with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to rewrite the timeframe for enforcing Proposition 12. CDFA says they lack authority to delay the compliance deadline.

Formica explains that 28 months of unsuccessful compliance delays with the CDFA and the Animal Care Program has put retailers in an “impossible” position that could lead to criminal charges for the sale of uncertified meat.

Lessons Learned

Californians didn’t clearly understand what was being voted on, Formica adds.

“They didn’t know the impact this was going to have,” says Formica. “They were presented the question, ‘Do you think farm animals should be protected from cruel treatment?’ I would have voted the same way.”

Pro Farmer policy analyst Jim Wiesemeyer says before this legislation made its way to the proposal stage, “it should have been battled with questions,” to better educate voters.

NPPC and the American Farm Bureau have filed a joint petition on Proposition 12, scheduled to be addressed by the Supreme Court on Jan. 7, 2022.

Related Articles:

> California’s Prop 12 Took Effect Jan. 1

> Prop 12 Countdown: California Food Industry Leaders Fight Back

Tyson Foods to Eliminate 10% of Corporate Jobs, 15% of Senior Leaders

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 16:15:47 GMT

Tyson Foods Inc will eliminate about 10% of corporate jobs and 15% of senior leadership roles, Chief Executive Donnie King told employees on Wednesday.

The layoffs are the latest cost-cutting move for the biggest U.S. meat company by sales as it grapples with declining profit and struggles to improve results in its iconic chicken business.

Discussions with most affected employees are slated to take place this week, King said in a memo to employees seen by Reuters. Shares closed 1.1% lower at $60.35 on Wednesday.

“We will drive efficiency by focusing on fewer initiatives with greater intensity and removing duplication of work,” King said.

Tyson had about 6,000 U.S. employees working in corporate offices as of Oct. 1 and 118,000 workers at non-corporate sites such as meat plants and warehouses, according to regulatory filings.

The eliminated roles in senior leadership are mostly vice presidents and senior vice presidents, a company spokesperson said.

Some corporate employees already quit after Tyson said in October it was relocating all corporate jobs to its headquarters in Springdale, Arkansas. The 10% reduction in corporate roles is not due to employees leaving the company rather than relocating to Arkansas, a spokesperson said.

A recent overhaul in Tyson’s executive leadership left some investors and analysts nervous.

The company fired Chris Langholz as president of its international business in August. In September, Tyson said Noelle O’Mara, who led its prepared foods division, had left the company. John R. Tyson, great-grandson of the company’s founder, took over as finance chief.

“The frequent changes in the leadership team over the past few years suggest that there are inefficiencies within the corporate offices,” said Arun Sundaram, senior equity analyst at CFRA Research.

In January, Tyson replaced the president of its poultry business after the company wrongly predicted demand for chicken.

The company has struggled for years to improve results in its chicken business and said in March it will close two U.S. processing plants with almost 1,700 employees.

Meatpackers generally increased pay for plant workers during the pandemic. Now they face declining operating margins and must increasingly compete to buy livestock to run plants at full slaughtering capacity, analysts said.

“Margins fall apart like this and it’s like, we’re really bleeding now,” said Bob Brown, an independent livestock market expert.

Tyson’s adjusted earnings of 85 cents per share in the quarter ended Dec. 31 were down 70% from a year earlier. The company is set to report its next quarterly results on May 8.

(Reporting by Tom Polansek in Chicago Editing by Matthew Lewis)

China Cites U.S. Ag for Why It's Chosen Not to Invade Taiwan

Tue, 01 Nov 2022 19:32:58 GMT

Can U.S. agriculture stand between China and a war in Taiwan? According to economists, it can and is.

“China’s own military released a report maybe two months ago that said the single main reason for us not to intervene in Taiwan directly is that the U.S. might see this as an excuse to impose sanctions if we do not bring in food from outside China,” Chris Kuehl, Armada Corporate Intelligence chief economist said in an episode of Farming the Countryside.

Also in the report, China acknowledged that they are only 20% independent in soybeans and buy 80% of what it needs.

China’s military report comes as the country grapples with a protein shortage .

Up the Pork Ante

In October, China sold 200,000 metric tons of pork from state reserves to help ease surging domestic pork prices.

Jim Wiesemeyer, Pro Farmer policy analyst, says China announced it now plans to release its seventh batch of frozen pork from reserves.

Increasing pork production might be the country’s main tactic to tackle low pork numbers.

China’s sow herd grew 2% in September versus the prior month to 43.62 million head, according to the country’s ag ministry. The hog herd increased 3.1% from the prior month to 443.94 million head and was up 1.4% from year-ago.

Will History Repeat Itself?

With the herd increase and reserves in tow, will the resources be enough to curb China’s imports of U.S. protein and allow the country to invade Taiwan? Kuehl isn’t convinced.

He says the choice to hold off on war in Taiwan is based on a page from China’s history books.

“In the last 2,500 years, every Chinese government that has fallen, has fallen over food,” says Kuehl. “They need those import markets—be it from the U.S, Canada, Brazil, Argentina or Australia.”

China can likely “get along” without U.S. imports, as Kuehl thinks they would seek out other countries. However, he doesn’t feel their exports could handle a riff with the U.S. due to its sales stake in stores such as Walmart and Target.

Exploring Other Avenues

Any hope for becoming less dependent on imports is useless in China, according to Kuehl, who says almost two-thirds of its land is “useless.”

“As far as ag, China is desert, mountains and simply not up for this—they’re actually quite resource poor,” he says. “They import oil and many precious metals that they need. Some things they have independence with, but not many.”

U.S.’s Trade Tactics

The news in China comes as the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced next steps in its four-year review of tariff actions in China.

USTR will open an electronic portal on Nov. 15 to gather information on the impacts of China’s acts, policies and practices in technology transfer, intellectual property and innovation.

According to USTR, the electronic portal will be open to the public, with the questions in the portal made available to respondents sometime this week.

More on trade:

New Legislation Could Halt Gas Exports When Prices are High
Mexico to Proceed with GMO Corn Ban
Saudi Arabia Accuses Unnamed Countries of Using Emergency Oil Reserves to Manipulate Markets

Will it Become a Must to Tell Your Farm Story?

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 21:37:41 GMT

Does your operation have any social media accounts? Leah Halverson, CEO and founder of Ten Acre Marketing , says it should.

As you sit in your combine or tractor cab this harvest, consider what passersbys are thinking about your work.

Do you want them to draw their own conclusions about what farming practices are carried out on your operation, or do you want to be the one telling the story?

Be Proactive

Halverson told Andrew McCrea, Farming the Countryside host, this concept is what brought her into the marketing business.

“I remember when I first told my dad and brother that we need to get on social media,” Halverson said in an episode of Farming the Countryside. “My dad said, ‘But then everybody’s going to know what we’re doing!’ This led to what we call a drive by—we decided if you can drive by and see what we’re doing on the farm, then we should be able to talk about it.”

Guiding producers farm narrative through this drive by concept is what Halverson does each day at her business. However, she says not all producers are keen on every marketing idea her team proposes.

Ten Acre Marketing helps growers who do and don’t like the idea of communicating their farm’s story to the world of social media. Halverson says even the farmers who don’t want a social presence still have avenues to share information.

“Like with anything, if you don’t like a task and don’t want to do it, doing nothing is better than doing it poorly,” she says.

Halverson says making the decision to share your story and establishing boundaries for the platforms you’re willing to use to share your farm’s story should be step one of your marketing plan.

Have a Gameplan

Deciding your operation should have a social media presence is one hurdle but putting it into action is another. According to Halverson, producers have to ask themselves one question: what am I trying to do?

“Ask yourself what you’re looking for—more land, new labor, hopes to solidify relationships with your lenders or your equipment and chemical guys,” she says.

After you’ve established your big objective, it’s time to think about money. Halverson suggests producers consider what time, money and resources they want to invest and then carefully begin playing the chess pieces.

“You can put random content out and hope for the best, but I don’t think farmers have time to do this stuff for fun,” Halverson says. “It has to be more thought out than that.”

Meaningful Marketing Moves

Halverson says, despite popular opinion, consumers do care about a farm’s story because that helps them to understand where their food comes from. And, it gives producers a chance to help affect change.

The execution is what can make or break an operation, which is why the Ten Acre team suggests you consider your words carefully, or hire a professional to write them out for you.

“Farm stories can get a little too technical. If we back up and start from the basics of this is what we do, why we do it, why we love it, show our family and tell an authentic story, that will set a strong foundation for trust and lead to other conversations,” says Halverson.

Get Ahead While You Can

While these marketing stories are optional now, some, including Halverson, speculate telling your farm story will one day be “the price of poker.”

“I don’t think you should be worried about getting asked about your operation’s practices, but I think you should be expecting that it’ll be part of your checklist each year in the future,” she says. “If that time comes, we have to make sure we have messaging and branding in place, and that we’re following through with it.”

Even with marketing plans in place, unexpected events can upend any operation, and its marketing roadmap.

Halverson says farmers are used to being flexible when plans change in the office and field, and they’ll have to be ready to use that same flexibility when marketing the farm’s story. However, she says producers don’t have to do it alone.

“Go to your local associations, read publications and go online. There’s a wealth of information available to anyone looking to do this,” says Halverson. “Find your favorite neighbor or grower, see what tactics they’re using for a website or social media and talk with them about it.”

The bottom line, according to Halverson: Don’t be bashful in your quest to finding the answers, learning new skills, and working to build up your operation—it just might pay off.

More from Andrew McCrea:

The Story of Old Ben: The Biggest Beef Ever
American Countryside: A Woolen Mill Comeback
Meet the Farm Kid Who Became the Youngest Green Beret on a Daring U.S. Military Mission

White House to Host First Hunger, Nutrition and Health Address in More Than 50 Years

Mon, 26 Sep 2022 22:46:22 GMT

President Joe Biden will deliver remarks Wednesday at the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health, which will be held at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center.

“Too many families don’t know where they’re going to get their next meal,” Biden said in a video announcing the conference,” said Biden. “Too many empty chairs around the kitchen table because a loved one was taken by heart disease, diabetes or other diet-oriented diseases, which are some of the leading causes of death in our country.”

Millions of Dollars to Host the Event

Rep. James McGovern (D-Mass.), chairman of the House Rules Committee, led an effort to get the White House to host the conference and pushed for $2.5 million to be allocated in a government funding package to host the event.

But this isn’t the first hunger event to be hosted at the White House.

Your Next Meal

The last time the White House hosted a conference focused on food insecurity was more than 50 years ago, when President Richard Nixon hosted the White House Conference on Food, Nutrition and Health in 1969. That confab led to expansions of the food stamp program and the school lunch program, creation of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, and improved nutrition labeling.

Conference speakers include President Joe Biden, White House Domestic Policy Adviser Susan Rice, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and Chef Jose Andres.

Susan Rice, prefaced the event in a statement saying “no one should have to wonder where their next meal will come from.”

Details on the event can be found here .

More on ag policy:

5 Conservation Needs to be Met in Farm Bill 2023
Continuing Resolution Bill in the Works as New Stopgap Spending Bill
Shipping Container Rates Down 63%, But We’re a Long Way From Back to Normal Operations

Are Farmers and Ranchers the Best People To Tell Ag’s Story?

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 00:55:16 GMT

Who should be telling the story of agriculture?

Some say that it should be farmers and ranchers, but they are only about 1% of the population. Others say agriculture needs more Mike Rowes and Dirty Jobs in the world to broadcast ag’s story.

“The bottom line is farmers and ranchers are probably the most knowledgeable, but we might not be the best at talking to our urban friends,” says Rob Sharkey, more famously known as The Shark Farmer, in his online Farm Journal Field Days presentation.

During a recent interview, accomplished chef Jill Bosich from Temecula, Calif., shared with The Shark Farmer how understanding the amount of work that goes into the steak she is preparing has changed her life.

Bosich has spent the last 19 years on a dude ranch. She originally went there to learn how ranching is done, but she’s stayed there because she loves it. The experiences she’s gained on the ranch have shown her just how much work it takes to raise the animal to put a steak on a plate.

“It’s just profound, the expertise that you need just blows me away,” Bosich told the Shark Farmer. “Those kinds of experiences really crafted my mindset to where I endeavor to share with others how difficult it is to grow and raise our food. And as a chef, the appreciation I have for it now is just immense.”

Bosich has a large following on Facebook, the Shark Farmer adds. People who make decisions for the family when they go into the grocery store to buy food. People who vote on livestock bills that change how farmers raise livestock. People who know how to handle tough questions from their friends about how livestock are raised.

“These are the type of people that you and I probably are not going to reach,” he told attendees of Farm Journal Field Days. “So, who cares if Jill is a legitimate rancher or she’s a chef or whatever you want to call her? Because we know that she is a huge ally to agriculture.”

To hear The Shark Farmer’s thoughts on who should be telling agriculture’s story, register or log in to Farm Journal Field Days .

Read More:

Worried About Biden’s Tax Plan? Paul Neiffer Has Recommendations

How USDA's $2.8 Billion Climate-Smart Investment Might Impact Your Operation

Tue, 20 Sep 2022 06:20:07 GMT

After months of talking about climate-smart agriculture and working with a handful of funding recipients, USDA is now investing up to $2.8 billion in 70 projects under the first Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities funding pool. The projects, which seek funds ranging from $5 million to $100 million, include everything from flood control to building carbon markets.

After sifting through 450 proposals, USDA’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities funding recipients include:

Government entities
Farmer coops
Conservation, energy and environmental groups
Universities
Small businesses
Large corporations

Trust In Food™ , the sustainability division of Farm Journal , is among the USDA Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities project recipients for its coalition-driven Connected Ag Project.

The Impact of USDA Climate Funding

According to Tom Vilsack, USDA secretary, these efforts will “increase the competitive advantage of U.S. agriculture both domestically and internationally,” while building wealth in rural America.

“Through today’s announcement of initial selections for the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities, USDA is delivering on our promise to build and expand these market opportunities for American agriculture and be global leaders in climate-smart agricultural production,” he says.

USDA’s press release says, from the funding, farmers can expect:

1. Technical and financial assistance to implement voluntary climate-smart practices.

2. Methods to quantify, monitor, report and verify greenhouse gas benefits.

3. New markets and promotion in climate-smart commodities.

With this new funding in place, USDA anticipates the projects will:

Provide hundreds of expanded markets and revenue streams for producers and commodities ranging from traditional corn to specialty crops.
Reach more than 50,000 farms, encompassing 20 to 25 million acres of working land engaged in climate-smart production practices such as cover crops, no-till and nutrient management.
Sequester upward of 50 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent over the lives of the projects. This is equivalent to removing more than 10 million gasoline-powered passenger vehicles from the road for one year.
Engage more than 50 universities to help advance projects, especially with outreach and monitoring, measurement, reporting and verification.

Proposals for the 70 projects include plans to match 50% of the federal investment with nonfederal funds.

Who Will Provide the Funds?

The Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities funding will be pulled from USDA’s Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) funds in two pools. USDA says the projects announced today are part of the first funding pool.

The CCC has been tapped numerous times in the past year, such as a March announcement to put $250 million toward American-made fertilizer to give U.S. farmers more choices in the marketplace. Some, including Jim Wiesemeyer, Pro Farmer policy analyst, feel the CCC is more of an “ATM machine for aggies” than a tool used to stabilize, support and protect farm income and prices, as it was originally created for.

When asked about why USDA chose to pull more funds from the CCC, Vilsack said it was a matter of timing.

“We track expenditures from the CCC on a monthly basis. We are within a couple of weeks from the end of the fiscal year and there are significant resources left in the CCC account,” he says. “We won’t require any action from Congress to replenish the CCC. We will be able to adequately fund this initiative, as well as some nutrition announcements made today, and still have billions of dollars left in reserve in the account through the remainder of the fiscal year.”

The Agency says the second funding pool will be announced later this year.

How Funds Will Be Used

In the first pool of funding, numerous projects were selected with funding ceilings from $70 to $95 million. According to USDA, some of the individual projects that will span several states include:

1. Climate SMART (Scaling Mechanisms for Agriculture’s Regenerative Transformation), led by Truterra, LLC

This project, which will reach across 28 states, aims to catalyze a self-sustaining, market-based network to broaden farmer access, scale adoption of climate-smart practices, and sustainably produce grain and dairy commodities with verified and quantified climate benefits.

2. The Climate-Smart Agriculture Innovative Finance Initiative, led by Field to Market

This project, covering more than 30 states, will use innovative finance mechanisms to accelerate climate-smart practice uptake by farmers, leveraging private sector demand to strengthen markets for climate-smart commodities. Partners will provide technical assistance and additional financial incentives to an array of producers across commodities, tying climate-smart practices to commodity purchases and creating a scalable model for private sector investment.

3. Connected Ag Climate-Smart Commodities Pilot Project, led by Farm Journal, Inc.

This project will expand climate-smart markets for many agricultural commodities and provide direct payments, technical assistance and data management strategies to row crop, beef, dairy, pork and other producers to adopt climate-smart practices and strategies.

4. Scaling Methane Emissions Reductions and Soil Carbon Sequestration, led by the Dairy Farmers of America, Inc.

Through this project, Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) climate-smart pilots will directly connect on-farm greenhouse gas reductions with the low-carbon dairy market. DFA will use its cooperative business model to ensure the collective financial benefits are captured at the farm, creating a compelling opportunity to establish a powerful self-sustaining circular economy model benefiting U.S. agriculture.

5. The Soil Inventory Project Partnership for Impact and Demand, led by The Meridian Institute

This project will build climate-smart markets, streamline field data collection and combine sample results with modeling to make impact quantifications accurate and locally specific but also scalable. Targeted farms produce value-added and direct-to-consumer specialty crops as well as the 19 most common row crops in the U.S.

Details on the other projects can be found here .

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Biden Administration Presses Unions, Railroads to Avoid Shutdown

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Average Cost of a 4th of July Cookout is Down Compared to Last Year

Tue, 13 Jul 2021 20:36:14 GMT

You might save some money on your big 4th of July barbecue this year. The American Farm Bureau reporting the average cost of a summer cookout for 10 people comes in at $59.50, or less than $6 per person.

That’s down 16 cents from last year, but 8% higher compared to 2019. The biggest price increase is with strawberries. Two pints of strawberries came in at $5.30, which is up 22% from last year, due to strong demand and weather events.

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4 Steps to Save Money and Prevent Food Waste

Accidental Success: A Hot Dog that Tastes Like Steak

Tue, 13 Jul 2021 20:36:09 GMT

As you fire up the grills this 4th of July weekend, a hot dog or two might find it onto your plate. But will that hot dog taste like a steak?

Patrick Montgomery is in the business of delivering customers the best steaks they’ll ever eat. Along the way, he may have just created the best hot dog anyone has ever tasted as well. The story of what happened when a steak company’s hot dog sales went through the roof is featured in the American Countryside clips below.

In 2016, Patrick Montgomery began raising wagyu cattle and founded the KC Cattle Company , based on Weston, Mo. He began developing markets for his prime steaks. But of course, those animals produce more than just steak.

The logical first step was high-end hamburgers. But he didn’t want anything to go to waste, continually looking for another use for the beef trimmings.

There are more trimmings than steak, which often has turned into hamburger.

“Hot dogs were one of them, and it was actually one of our worst sellers when we launched it,” Montgomery says. “So, I thought it was a pretty big dud.”

But nonetheless they sent the hot dogs to publications that might review the premium franks and perhaps provide a sales boost. One random Thursday in 2019, after fixing fence, Montgomery suddenly began receiving text alerts on his phone about orders. Once had was back home and refreshed his website, nearly half a million people were on his site.

Food and Wine Magazine had made quite a proclamation about the KC Cattle Company’s hot dogs: It was basically like eating a steak in a bun, or an elevated “tube steak,” if you will. The flavor had real depth and smoky undertones, and the texture and color (darker, more brown than red) was different than most hot dogs—in a good way.

“They proclaimed we had the best hot dog in the world,” Montgomery recalls. “Death by growth was the forefront of my mind because we had 1.5 of us working here at the time.”

Hot dog sales went through the roof, the only problem was they had almost no hot dogs to sell at the time.

“We had 30 packs of hot dogs in stock when this happened, so we had to figure out how to get 10,000 lb. of trim and all of our steaks were back ordered and everything else,” he says. “So, it was definitely a stressful couple of months after it happened.”

Montgomery was honest with his customers, updating them almost once a day. He offered to let them cancel their orders or wait a week or more for the hot dogs. The customers appreciated the honesty and recognized the success ahead for the KC Cattle Company.

Today the company is better able to meet the demand for those hot dog orders and the steaks, as well. Montgomery says those hot dogs and brats do continue to garner quite a bit of attention.

“The hot dog is 100% wagyu,” he says. “For our brats, we mix in some bacon ends to make it a little more forgivable if you throw them on the grill. They are delicious; I mean, you can’t go wrong with bacon, wagyu beef and cheese.”

Montgomery raises his wagyu herd just north of Kansas City, in the hills near the Missouri River. He hopes he can continue to supply folks with great steaks, hot dogs and much more as he grows his business.

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Greta Thunberg Aims to Change How Food Is Produced

Thu, 24 Jun 2021 19:02:56 GMT

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg has set her sights on changing how the world produces and consumes food in order to counteract a trio of threats: carbon emissions, disease outbreaks and animal suffering.

In a video posted on Twitter on Saturday, Thunberg said the environmental impact of farming as well as disease outbreaks such as COVID-19, which is believed to have originated from animals, would be reduced by changing how food was produced.

“Our relationship with nature is broken. But relationships can change,” Thunberg said in the video marking the International Day of Biological Diversity.

A focus on agriculture and linking the climate crisis to health pandemics is a new angle for Thunberg who has typically focused her ire on policy-makers and carbon emissions from fossil fuels.

“The climate crisis, ecological crisis and health crisis, they are all interlinked,” she said.

Thunberg said the spillover of diseases from animals to humans was caused by farming methods, adding that a move to a plant-based diet could save up to 8 billion tonnes of CO2 each year.

The World Health Organization has said the coronavirus was probably transmitted from bats to humans through another animal, while scientists say 60% of the infectious human diseases that emerged from 1990 to 2004 came from animals.

Meanwhile, demand for alternatives to regular meat is surging worldwide due to concerns about health, animal welfare and the environment.

More than two dozen firms are testing lab-grown fish, beef and chicken, hoping to break into an unproven segment of the alternative meat market, which Barclays estimates could be worth $140 billion by 2029.

The Global Center on Adaptation, which works to accelerate climate resilience, said in January climate change could depress global food production by up to 30%, while rising seas and more intense storms could force hundreds of millions of people in coastal cities out of their homes.

(Reporting by Colm Fulton; Editing by Alison Williams)

Court Rejects Meat Institute’s Prop 12 Appeal

Mon, 28 Dec 2020 16:00:32 GMT

The North American Meat Institute’s challenge to California’s Proposition 12 has been rejected for a second time.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit rejected the Meat Institute’s challenge to California’s 2018 ballot initiative that imposes new standards for animal housing. The Court’s Dec. 23 decision confirms an initial decision in October. After the October decision, the Meat Institute appealed for the challenge to be heard by the full panel of judges, but the panel “unanimously voted to deny appellant’s petition for panel rehearing.”

California voters approved the Prevention of Cruelty to Farm Animals Act with 63% of the vote. The law creates minimum requirements to provide more space for veal calves, breeding pigs, and egg-laying hens. By 2020, the law requires farmers to give egg-laying hens at least one foot of floor space, and to completely eliminate cages by 2022. Farmers must now give veal calves 43 square feet and sows 24 feet of space.

Challenges by the Meat Institute and others, however, centered around the fact the law applies to out-of-state producers of meat and eggs who want to sell products in California. Both the federal Department of Justice and 20 states joined the Meat Institute’s challenge, arguing the law will contribute to higher food prices for consumers.

“Prop 12 is unconstitutional and not only hurts consumers with higher prices for pork, veal and eggs, it is costly for the federal government’s programs designed to help those facing hunger, including the Emergency Food Assistance Program and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program,” said the Meat Institute’s President/CEO Julie Anna Potts.

Related stories:

Court Upholds California’s Proposition 12

U.S. Beef Group Isn’t Happy That Golden Globes Are Going Vegan

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:54:05 GMT

(Bloomberg) -- The Golden Globes may be known as the “party of the year,” but for the American beef industry, there won’t much to celebrate when the festivities kick off this Sunday.

The annual awards show is going vegan, with thousands of guests being served a plant-based meal for the first time ever. The decision -- driven by climate-change concerns -- comes at a time when the U.S. beef industry is trying to scrub its polluter image, with a vegan-burger craze sweeping the nation.

Agriculture-related industries are the biggest greenhouse gas emitters after energy. By some measures, farming accounts for more global emissions than transport, thanks in part to livestock production.

As consumers cry foul, the meat industry is hitting back, with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association arguing American herds are already raised in a sustainable fashion. The group cites that the industry has a carbon footprint 10 to 50 times lower than rival global producers.

“While the intent is good, the impact is likely to be minimal,” the cattle group said in a statement, commenting on the Golden Globes’ decision to go vegan. “If all livestock in the U.S. were eliminated and every American followed a vegan diet,” greenhouse-gas emissions would only drop by 2.6%, the group said, citing a study from the National Academy of Sciences.

The Golden Globes’ move was cheered on Twitter by Hollywood heavyweight Leonardo DiCaprio as well as Mark Ruffalo, a climate change activist and actor. The awards show has proven itself adaptable to Hollywood diet trends: In 2018, it went gluten free and served fish as its non-vegetarian option. Steak hasn’t been a main course since 2017.

Officials for the awards show didn’t respond to requests seeking comment.

The meat industry’s big polluter image stems from cows, which emit methane as part of their normal digestive processes. To put it simply, it’s cow farts, burps and manure that are a large culprit. But big retailers and investors have been pressing companies to improve their footprint. Tyson Foods Inc. and Cargill Inc. have already pledged ambitious reductions in emissions.

But at least for now, stars attending the show in Beverly Hills, California, will nosh on king oyster mushrooms scallops along with a chilled beet soup.

©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

Beyond Meat Posts Mixed Second Quarter Results

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:50:18 GMT

Beyond Meat reported its second-quarter earnings on Monday, and traders called the news mixed.

Wall Street analysts expected a loss of 8 cents per share, but the company reported a loss of 24 cents per share. Second quarter revenue, however, was better than expected, $67.3 million vs. analysts expectations of $52.7 million.

Shares of the company ticked up 1% in extended trading.

“We are very pleased with our second quarter results which reflect continued strength across our business as evidenced by new foodservice partnerships, expanded distribution in domestic retail channels, and accelerating expansion in our international markets. We believe our positive momentum continues to demonstrate mainstream consumers’ growing desire for plant-based meat products both domestically and abroad,” said Ethan Brown, Beyond Meat’s President and Chief Executive Officer.

“Looking ahead, we will continue to prioritize efforts to increase our brand awareness, expand our distribution channels, launch new innovative products, and invest in our infrastructure and internal capabilities in order to deliver against the robust demand we are seeing across our business.”

Should We Stop “Educating Consumers?”

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:49:27 GMT

Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of Brandi Buzzard Frobose, and do not necessarily represent the views of Drovers or Farm Journal.

I’ll kick-off this shindig by admitting upfront that I, Brandi Buzzard, an agriculture advocate for more than a decade, am guilty of saying “My goal is to educate consumers” in blog posts, interviews, presentations and other forms of media on several occasions.

Writing that admission made me cringe…

However, as a person who believes the words we choose truly matter, and that we should always be open to change, I think it’s time to reevaluate our goals and methods as advocates. Should our goal be to educate grocery shoppers (I don’t like the word “consumer” either, but we can talk about that later) or to have engaging conversations and create relationships with information-seeking foodies? Do you see the difference between those two objectives?

I may be alone in this, but hear me out. Have you ever been told “Let me educate you about _________?” and not been a little miffed right off the bat? I can think of a few specific instances where someone has said that to me and I immediately bristled and was hesitant to take anything “taught” to me to heart. So why should I expect the average shopper to take my words to heart when I am not taking an interest in their situation, questions or experiences?

Many years ago, a former colleague shared the importance of listening to understand versus listening to be heard. As humans, our favorite topic is, wait for it, ourselves! Many times in conversations, we are just waiting for the other person to wrap up his thoughts, so we can spill our next sentence. That’s listening to be heard – only paying attention to what someone is saying so they will listen to what you have to say.

Conversely, the flipside is listening to understand; i.e. caring what the other person says and using that information to have a meaningful conversation. For example, if someone is skeptical of my ranching lifestyle, I find it prudent to learn from where that skepticism stems. Does this person distrust beef production based on religious, health or animal welfare reasons? The origin of the concern directly effects the type of conversation we can expect to have with those seeking to learn more about agriculture.

Need your help, #AgTwitter - for those of you advocate for agriculture, when you hear the phrase "educate consumers" does it make you a cringe a bit?

Does "educate" seem condescending to anyone besides me? Not looking for an argument, just some addt'l opinions. #agchat
— Buzzard 🐴🐂🥩🌱🌻 (@brandibuzzard) June 24, 2019

Social media is a magical and far-reaching tool. You can “meet” people who live 9,000 miles away, share information with them and impact each other’s lives. The opportunities for sharing agriculture’s story have never been so great but you have to be willing to care about something other than your advocacy goals in order to connect with shoppers. Remember President Theodore Roosevelt’s wise words, “People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.”

Brandi Buzzard Frobose is a rancher, agriculture advocate, calf roper and the director of communications for the Red Angus Association of America.