New World Screwworm In Texas, What Now?

Now that New World Screwworm has entered the US, what now?  The Illinois Farm Policy News released a summary of various news agency reports that spelled it out pretty well This is a version of that story that was edited for style and space.   FIRST DETECTION   Meatingplace’s Chris Moore reported “USDA confirmed the … Read More

Beige Book: Economic Activity Up A Little

Economic activity increased at a slight to moderate pace for 10 of the 12 Federal Reserve districts, while one district reported a slight decline and one reported no change, said the Bank’s Beige Book. The Beige Book is released eight times a year and summarizes economic activity and changes from the previous report.  The latest … Read More

Cow Beef Prices Pushing Cull Cow Prices

Wholesale prices for boxed cow beef keep rising, pushing live cow prices and allowing cow/calf producers a way out of their drought-stressed pasture situation. Well, it’s not a good way out, but at least it offers better compensation for selling the income-generators of their operation than if prices were lower.   CUTOUT $60 PER CWT … Read More

Funds Trim Live Cattle Net Long Position

Large commodity index funds, also known as managed money, further trimmed their collective net long live cattle futures position during the week ended last Tuesday, May 26, as cash cattle traders cut their total net short position. That was according to data supplied by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission in its weekly Commitments of Traders … Read More

Drought Continues, Despite Local Rains

During the week ended Tuesday, a highly variable weather pattern brought wide temperature swings to much of the contiguous US, the National Weather Service said in its weekly Drought Monitor Thursday.   COLD AIR MASS PUSHES EAST   An unusually cold airmass that settled over the Plains at the start of the data-gathering week pushed … Read More

Beef Demand Record High: Pork Not So Much

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 … Read More

March Kansas Feedlot Closeouts Down

March closeouts from feedlots in Kansas dropped seasonally in March and could continue to do so through April or May, according to data collected by the Kansas State University Extension Service. Each month, the K-State Extension Service surveys a select group of feedlots around the state for performance data.  It turns the data over to … Read More