Latest News From Packer

Mackey: Packers Try to Keep Lid on Prices
Mackey: Packers Try to Keep Lid on Prices

Packers desperate to keep their grasp on the cattle market looked to their inventory to keep the pressure on cash prices. Cattle feeders reluctantly traded lower.

Cash Cattle Rally Takes A Breather
Cash Cattle Rally Takes A Breather

Cash cattle prices retreated from the previous week's historic highs and a seasonal decline was to be expected. Analysts, however, believe another rally is brewing later in the season.

Is The Packers and Stockyards Act from 1921 Obsolete?
Is The Packers and Stockyards Act from 1921 Obsolete?

The Packers and Stockyards Act changes may be coming, as the Fiscal Year 2024 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Bill has been sent to the full House for consideration.

Profit Tracker: History Making Beef Market
Profit Tracker: History Making Beef Market

Cattle feeders sold more cattle last week than any week this year and at the highest price in history. Pork producers saw modest profits.

Walmart Beef Plant Tied to Investment in Sustainable Beef LLC
Walmart Beef Plant Tied to Investment in Sustainable Beef LLC

Set to open in 2025, the Olathe, Kan., plant will further Walmart’s commitment to creating an end-to-end Angus beef supply chain.

Meat Processing Plants: What Factors are Critical for Survival?
Meat Processing Plants: What Factors are Critical for Survival?

Meat processing plants in the U.S. have garnered considerable public attention recently. A new study looks to identify characteristics associated with plant survival and provide crucial information for legislators.

Mackey: Feeders Operating as ‘Market Makers’
Mackey: Feeders Operating as ‘Market Makers’

In this time of great leverage cattle feeders are finally discovering what it means to be a market maker and not a market taker.

Cash Cattle: Another Week, Another Record Price
Cash Cattle: Another Week, Another Record Price

A significant rally in fed cattle over the past three weeks confirms the front-end supply of cattle remains extremely current and cattle feeders have been willing sellers driven by good profits and a strong basis.

Profit Tracker: Joyride Continues for Feedyards
Profit Tracker: Joyride Continues for Feedyards

Profit margins for cattle feeders and packers continue pacing in opposite directions as shrinking supplies of market-ready cattle drive negotiated cash prices higher.

Mackey: Show Lists Will Remain Tight and Green
Mackey: Show Lists Will Remain Tight and Green

Beef packers appeared unprepared for the rapidly tightening supply of market-ready cattle and the result was a rocket to new cash highs.

Cattle Markets Spike Higher in Post-Holiday Joyride
Cattle Markets Spike Higher in Post-Holiday Joyride

Packers were aggressive bidders in all regions as cash fed cattle markets made historic late-season moves higher in the holiday-shortened trading week.

John Nalivka
Nalivka: The Prominent Role of Packer Capacity in Fed Cattle Markets

As supplies of market-ready cattle have declined, so has beef packer capacity utilization.

Profit Tracker: Cattle Margins Top $400, Packers Red
Profit Tracker: Cattle Margins Top $400, Packers Red

Cattle feeders experience largest average profits in seven years as packer margins dip into the red.

Packers Chase Inventory, Prices Jump Higher
Packers Chase Inventory, Prices Jump Higher

Packers unexpectedly found themselves chasing a limited supply of higher-grading cattle last week and the result was sharply higher prices in the North.

Mackey: A Bigger Trade, A Bigger Spread
Mackey: A Bigger Trade, A Bigger Spread

The price spread between Northern cash cattle sales and Southern sales more than doubles as packers struggle to find inventory to maintain acceptable capacity utilization.

Meat Institute Partners with IT-ISAC to Improve Cybersecurity
Meat Institute Partners with IT-ISAC to Improve Cybersecurity

The Meat Institute partners with the Information Technology-Information Sharing and Analysis Center to enhance cybersecurity for the meat and poultry industry.

Meat Institute Launches Protein PACT Academic Advisory Council
Meat Institute Launches Protein PACT Academic Advisory Council

The Protein PACT Academic Advisory Council is formed to advise on research priorities and the latest evidence related to meat production and consumption.

Meat Institute Launches Protein PACT Academic Advisory Council
Meat Institute Launches Protein PACT Academic Advisory Council

The Protein PACT Academic Advisory Council is formed to advise on research priorities and the latest evidence related to meat production and consumption.

Mackey: Tight Supplies Leave Some Packers Searching For Inventory
Mackey: Tight Supplies Leave Some Packers Searching For Inventory

The current front-end supply and winter delayed calf-feds have the northern packers stretched for inventory. Will that aid feeders' ability to push prices higher in the coming weeks?

Profit Tracker: Cattle Margins Steady, Pork Remains Red
Profit Tracker: Cattle Margins Steady, Pork Remains Red

Cattle feeders saw average profits of more than $300 per head last week while pork producers found average losses of about $13 per head.

House Subcommittee Hears Animal Ag ‘Stakeholder Priorities’
House Subcommittee Hears Animal Ag ‘Stakeholder Priorities’

U.S. House Agriculture's Subcommittee hearing on Wednesday provided an opportunity for animal agriculture stakeholders to detail their priorities they hope to achieve from lawmakers actions.

Mackey: More Pounds in the Pipeline
Mackey: More Pounds in the Pipeline

Packers increase their slaughter ahead of the first holiday weekend of the summer and the spread between North and South widens back to $6 per cwt.

WSJ Challenges The “Big Meat Conspiracy Theory”
WSJ Challenges The “Big Meat Conspiracy Theory”

After Tyson Foods reports anemic first quarter sales and downgrades its forecast, The Wall Street Journal editors wrote, “This doesn’t look like an antitrust conspiracy or market oligopoly.”

Cash Cattle: North Steady, South $2 Lower
Cash Cattle: North Steady, South $2 Lower

Negotiated cash cattle prices declined for the fourth consecutive week in the South but held steady in Northern trades.

CAB Insider: Value Cuts and Thin Meats Lead
CAB Insider: Value Cuts and Thin Meats Lead

A broad view of recent carcass cutout values shows plenty of strength in wholesale boxed beef prices. To contrast current values to a year ago, CAB and commodity Choice cutouts are 14% higher.

Mackey: Packers Plot to Preserve Profitability
Mackey: Packers Plot to Preserve Profitability

Packers are working to remain profitable, using basis for extended delivery, freighting cheaper inventory to areas of regional cash strength and running harvest at a snail's pace.

Tyson Foods Posts Surprise Loss, Cuts 2023 Revenue Forecast as Beef, Pork Prices Fall
Tyson Foods Posts Surprise Loss, Cuts 2023 Revenue Forecast as Beef, Pork Prices Fall

Tyson Foods Inc posted a surprise second-quarter loss on Monday and cut its full-year revenue forecast on falling beef and pork prices, sending the U.S. meat packer's shares tumbling 9% before the bell.

Cash Cattle Slip Another $1 to $2 Lower
Cash Cattle Slip Another $1 to $2 Lower

Negotiated cash cattle prices declined for the third consecutive week in a moderate to active trade. Wholesale beef prices also declined yet remain above seasonal averages.

JBS USA Creates In-House Sanitation Company to Provide Highest Quality Assurance
JBS USA Creates In-House Sanitation Company to Provide Highest Quality Assurance

Effective immediately, JBS USA will begin the transition of 10 facilities to its newly created company, JBS Sanitation.

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Meatpacker JBS Ends Contracts with U.S. Company Fined for Hiring Kids

JBS USA is ending contracts with a U.S. company fined for hiring kids to clean meat plants, the unit of Brazilian meatpacker JBS SA said on Monday, adding it is bringing the work in-house at some facilities.

Mackey: Packers Will Use Basis to Build Inventory
Mackey: Packers Will Use Basis to Build Inventory

A softer market for the first time in a month, but its a breather we have all been expecting. Keep an eye on the basis between cash and futures as packers will use it to gain leverage.

Cattle Rally Takes a Breather, Cattle on Feed Down 4%
Cattle Rally Takes a Breather, Cattle on Feed Down 4%

Negotiated cattle prices fell short of steady on the week, though fundamentals point to further gains in the short-term. Cattle on feed found 4.4% fewer cattle at the bunk, but placements were mildly surprising.

USDA Announces $125 Million to Expand Meat and Poultry Processing Options
USDA Announces $125 Million to Expand Meat and Poultry Processing Options

USDA announced $125 million will be available through two new grant programs that will create more options for meat and poultry farmers by investing in independent, local meat and poultry processing projects.

Mackey: Packers Pulling Out the Stops to Gain Control
Mackey: Packers Pulling Out the Stops to Gain Control

Packers continue to haul cheaper inventory to regions grinding higher and peel back harvest to stall the market.  This is all friendly, one does not cut kills with peak demand on the forefront.

USDA Voices Concern About Rising Incidence of Illegal Child Labor
USDA Voices Concern About Rising Incidence of Illegal Child Labor

USDA sent a letter to the 18 largest meat and poultry processors to request all actors in the food supply chain take steps to prevent or eliminate illegal child labor, which has risen 69% since 2018.

Cattle Continue Historic Price Rally As Cattle Feeders Gain Leverage
Cattle Continue Historic Price Rally As Cattle Feeders Gain Leverage

Cattle markets surging $10 higher over the past two weeks have pushed the 5-area average price to record levels and the rally may continue this week.

Mackey: Packers 'Not Doing You A Favor'
Mackey: Packers 'Not Doing You A Favor'

With cattle feeders in the driver's seat, packers will seek leverage to price cattle for future delivery. They aren't looking to do feeders a favor with the strategy.

Creekstone Farms to Open Child Learning Center for Employees
Creekstone Farms to Open Child Learning Center for Employees

Creekstone Farms has announced it has broken ground on a 20,000-square foot learning center adjacent to its Arkansas City, Kan., headquarters.

Mackey: Packer Activity Highest Since 2014
Mackey: Packer Activity Highest Since 2014

Last week’s huge cash rally featured all packers vying for position to tie up cattle in all regions. Yet, packers aren’t gaining inventory.

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Multi-Plant Coordination Among All Company-Owned Plants Boosts Packer Leverage in Price Discovery, ISU Research Shows

New research helps policymakers understand the role multi-plant coordination plays in the fed cattle market as they consider policies aimed at increasing negotiated trade with the hope of improving price discovery.

Mackey: Packers Show Discipline, North/South Spread Widens
Mackey: Packers Show Discipline, North/South Spread Widens

Packers put wheels under cattle to buy themselves time as Southern cattle are hauled to Northern plants.

North Leads in Mixed Cash Cattle Trade
North Leads in Mixed Cash Cattle Trade

Northern feeders have experienced considerably more adverse weather and muddy pen conditions than southern yards, contributing to the tightening supply of well-finished cattle.

Tyson Foods Plant Closure Raises Antitrust Concerns Among U.S. Farmers and Experts
Tyson Foods Plant Closure Raises Antitrust Concerns Among U.S. Farmers and Experts

Tyson Foods gave its chicken suppliers two months' notice of its plan to shut a Virginia processing plant in May, raising concerns among farmers and legal experts about Tyson's compliance with antitrust regulations.

Livestock Groups Back Bill to Expand Options for Packing Capacity
Livestock Groups Back Bill to Expand Options for Packing Capacity

National livestock groups are uniting to support Congressional efforts to expand opportunities for industry to invest in meat packing capacity. 

Profit Tracker: Futures Drag on Cash Cattle
Profit Tracker: Futures Drag on Cash Cattle

Cattle feeding margins declined last week after modest declines in cash cattle prices. Pork producer margins remain underwater.

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Brazil's JBS to Be 'Selective' Regarding Share Buybacks, Acquisitions

The management of Brazilian meatpacker JBS SA said on Wednesday it "will be selective" in relation to launching share buyback programs and also regarding acquisitions given instability in international markets.

Retailer Seeks Permit to Build Beef Plant in Kansas
Retailer Seeks Permit to Build Beef Plant in Kansas

A proposal for a new 320,000-square-foot beef processing facility has been submitted for a site in eastern Kansas by an unnamed retailer.

Mackey: Packers Laying Prep Work for Short Supplies
Mackey: Packers Laying Prep Work for Short Supplies

Beef packers show their willingness to rely on their captive supplies as they struggle to hold a lid on rising cattle prices. Tighter supplies in the coming weeks will force their hand.

Profit Tracker: Prices and Margins Marching Higher
Profit Tracker: Prices and Margins Marching Higher

Profit margins for cattle feeders increased as cash prices moved higher last week. Pork producers continue operating with negative margins.

COOL Beef Label
USDA Seeks to Limit Use of ‘Product of USA’ Label By Packers

USDA issued a proposed rulemaking on Monday that would effectively close the "Product of the U.S.A." loophole that has been in effect since the repeal of COOL in 2015.