The US’ competitive advantage in beef production in comparison to other beef breeding countries has enabled it to increase its global beef trade, said the USDA’s Economic Research Service in its monthly Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Outlook. The 2016 forecast for US beef exports, at 2.469 billion pounds, is 203 million, or 8.96%, higher than … Read More

Monthly retail beef prices have resumed their upward trek and are widening the gap between beef and pork or chicken. After peaking in May of last year at an average of 196.99 cents a pound, prices declined to a low of 187.42 cents in February 2016, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and USDA’s Economic Research … Read More

Commodity funds, or managed money, all but kept their net long live cattle position in place during the week ended Tuesday, while commercial traders cut their net short position significantly. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission, in its Friday Commitments of Traders report, said managed money’s net long cattle position was 19,186 contracts, up 29, or … Read More

Beef and cattle markets appear to be stronger than might be expected in the middle of summer’s heat, but supplies may overrun the market in coming months, an economist warns. Stephen Koontz, professor of Agricultural and Resource Economics at Colorado State University, this week wrote for the Livestock Marketing Information Center that slaughter rates are … Read More

CBOT corn futures closed higher for the second straight day as fundamental factors strengthened, yet some technical indicators urge caution about the extent of a rally. Since setting a new contract low of $3.46 a bushel on July 6, the most-active Dec corn contract has risen to Wednesday’s high of $3.75 ½, a gain of … Read More

The USDA’s World Agriculture Outlook Board Tuesday raised its estimate of total red meat and poultry production for this year from its June projections. In the monthly World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimates report, the beef production forecast was raised largely on the pace of second-quarter slaughter, which was up.  Second-half feedlot marketings also were … Read More

US beef exports rose significantly in May, counter to what might be expected given the strengthening US Dollar Index. The Dollar Index is a comparison of the greenback against a basket of other currencies.  The Index was rising in May, signifying a strengthening US currency when compared with other currencies.  The action made US products … Read More