The annual Retail All Fresh Beef Demand Index showed beef demand at a record high last year, and it projects out to be record high again this year.
The annual retail pork demand, on the other hand, has not fared as well with the demand index last year at 92 and projections for this year remaining below the 100-mark.
The data came from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the USDA’s Economic Research Service and were compiled by the Livestock Marketing Information Center in Denver for publication on its website.
The data are just that, data, and do not tell why beef demand at the retail level is so good while pork demand is not. Anecdotally, it seems people aren’t enamored with the lack of marbling and taste associated with modern pork, while beef production has leaned more toward choice grade product, which has more marbling and flavor, a market analyst said.
BEEF DEMAND RECORD HIGH
Using 2000 as the base of 100 on the index, retail US beef demand last year was calculated at 138 with the next highest years being 2021 and 2024 when it was 126.
The demand index only slipped below the 100-value bench mark in 2008 (at 99), 2009 (at 94), 2010 (at 92), 2011 (at 93) and 2014 (at 98). In all other years, the beef demand index has been above the year-2000 bench mark.
First-quarter 2026 US beef demand was rated at a record 147 on the demand index, up from the previous first-quarter record of 137 in 2025.
The second quarter of last year generated a rating of 130, up from 120 a year earlier and up from the next highest second-quarter reading of 124 in 2022.
The third-quarter 2025 retail beef demand index was 126, up from 122 a year earlier and up from the next-highest reading of 124 in the second quarter of 2020. The fourth-quarter retail beef demand index was a 152, up from 135 in the same quarter a year earlier.
PORK DEMAND FALLING SHORT
Using the year 2000 as the starting point at a reading of 100 on the index, pork demand last year made it to a 92 rating, down from 95 a year earlier, 97 in 2023 and a record 110 in 2021 and 2022.
The annual pork demand index has fallen below the 100-mark in several years, with 2006 through 2019 being a notable stretch.
The first quarter 2026 retail pork demand index was placed at 93, down from 94 in the same quarter of 2025.
The second-quarter pork demand index last year was 93, down from 94 a year earlier. Third-quarter 2025 pork demand was given a reading of 87, down from 95 a year earlier. And, fourth-quarter pork demand was given a rating of 92, unchanged from the 2024 quarter.
CATTLE, BEEF RECAP
The USDA reported formula and contract base prices for live FOB steers and heifers this week ranged from $236.71 per cwt to $264.00, compared with last week’s range of $258.00 to $264.00 per cwt. FOB dressed steers and heifers went for $409.84 per cwt to $411.43, compared with $404.17 to $414.25.
The USDA choice cutout Thursday was down $2.40 per cwt at $392.32 while select was down $3.71 at $385.58. The choice/select spread widened to $6.74, from $5.43 with 102 loads of fabricated product and 21 loads of trimmings and grinds sold into the spot market.
The USDA-listed the weighted average wholesale price for fresh 90% lean beef as $459.46 per cwt, and 50% beef was $187.12.
The USDA said basis bids for corn from feeders in the Southern Plains were unchanged at $1.12 to $1.20 a bushel over the Jul corn contract, which settled at $4.55 3/4 a bushel, up $0.03 1/4.
The CME Feeder Cattle Index for the seven days ended Wednesday was $369.63 per cwt, up $2.37. This compares with Thursday’s Aug contract settlement of $353.02, down $1.60.