The Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer fell to a reading of 114 in September, 15 points below its August reading of 129 and the lowest since October 2016, the university and the CME Group said in a joint release. September marked the second large decline in the barometer this summer after a precipitous drop … Read More

US meat and poultry export prospects look more secure after the US, Mexico and Canada agreed on a new trade agreement Sunday, which was given the new moniker the US-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement. The USDA’s most recent Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Outlook said July US beef exports reached 279 million pounds, an almost 17% increase from … Read More

Large commodity investment funds, called managed money, extended their collective net long live cattle futures position during the week ended Tuesday to its longest in 6 ½ months, according to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. At the same time, the data showed that commercial traders, those who own cattle and theoretically could make or take … Read More

Give them something in return, and more cattle producers will spend the money to tag their cattle and calves with electronic ear tags. That may mean more than just cooperating on the cost of the tags, said Chip Kemp, director of International Genetic Solutions, at a National Institute for Animal Agriculture at its Strategy Forum … Read More

USDA and others pushed this week for continued expansion of electronic ear tags in US cattle. Speakers at the National Institute for Animal Agriculture’s Strategy Forum on Livestock Traceability in Kansas City, Tuesday and Wednesday said there was momentum within the cattle industry for more electronic tagging, but more was needed.   COST, LIABILITY CONCERN … Read More

Total US red meat supplies in cold storage on Aug. 31 were up 4% from a month earlier and up 4% from last year, said the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service in its monthly Cold Storage report released Monday. Total pounds of beef in US freezers were up 4% from a month earlier and up … Read More

The US’ trade war with China and other countries is raising the cost of living and pressuring already weak wholesale hide and offal prices. Just how far US cattle hide prices decline from here is anyone’s guess, but at some point, the by-product of cattle slaughter likely will find a market and probably build in … Read More