Hog prices should begin to improve seasonally over coming weeks, although some longer-term stumbling blocks remain, said Purdue University Agricultural Economist Chris Hurt, in an outlook report. The normal seasonal tendency is for sharp increases in hog prices through April, May and June, Hurt said. From current live hog prices of around $40 per cwt, … Read More

US beef exports last year shattered the previous value record and achieved a new high for volume, according to year-end 2018 statistics released by the USDA and compiled by the US Meat Export Federation. Pork export volume came up just short of the record set in 2017 while value slipped 1% year-over-year.   BEEF EXPORTS … Read More

Large commodity investment firms, called managed money, increased their net long live cattle futures position for the 15th straight week during the week ended last Tuesday, according to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The CFTC made the data known Friday in its weekly Commitments of Traders report.  The report catches the CFTC up on its … Read More

Friday’s World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimates report lowered its projection for total 2019 US red meat and poultry production from the previous month. A lower forecast for beef and turkey production more than offset higher pork production estimates, the report said.   BEEF PRODUCTION ESTIMATE DECLINES   Beef production estimates for the year were … Read More

Estimated average cash-basis cattle feeding margins rose last week as fed cattle prices were about $2 per cwt higher than the previous week, according to Sterling Marketing’s Beef Profit Tracker, published by AgWeb. Packer margins, however, declined a bit but still remained profitable. AgWeb said Sterling Marketing’s President John Nalivka, said the Beef Profit Tracker … Read More

Managed money, a term for large commodity investment funds, advanced their collective net long live cattle futures position for the 14th straight week during the week ended Tuesday, Feb. 26, taking them to their largest long position in more than a year. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission made the data known in its Commitments of … Read More

Sentiment among agricultural producers weakened slightly in February compared with a month earlier, according to the monthly Purdue University Ag Economy Barometer. The barometer weakened slightly in February, declining seven points to a reading of 136, compared with 143 a month earlier, a release by Purdue and the CME Group and authored by Agricultural Economists … Read More