As Plains states’ temperatures go from a mild, wet spring to the dead of summer within a week, there are growing reports of cattle stress and even deaths. Reports of death losses can be hard to track down since no one wants to own up to the losses, figuring such an admission, no matter how … Read More
Consumer Sentiment Index Falling
The University of Michigan US consumer sentiment index fell sharply to a record low of 50.2 in June, well below market forecasts of 58, preliminary figures showed. Inflation was credited as the biggest reason for the decline. The consumer sentiment index for the US was revised down to 58.4 in May, the lowest since August … Read More
Funds Boost Net Long Cattle Position
In the week ended Tuesday, large commodity investment funds, or managed money, increased their collective net long live cattle futures position as hedgers added to their total net short position. That conclusion came from data supplied by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission in its weekly Commitments of Traders report Friday. FUNDS BOOST LONG CATTLE … Read More
April Beef Exports Top $1 Billion For Third Time This Year
April US beef exports topped $1 billion for the third time this year, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the US Meat Export Federation. April pork exports were well below the large totals posted a year ago. “Global demand for US beef continues to overcome enormous obstacles, from inflationary pressure to logistical … Read More
Farmer Sentiment Drops In May
The Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer dropped to its lowest level since April 2020, down 22 points in May to a reading of 99, said James Mintert, Purdue University agricultural economist, in a release. The Ag Economy Barometer is calculated each month from 400 US agricultural producers’ responses to a telephone survey. This month’s … Read More
April Kansas Feedlot Closeouts Rebound From March
The number of fed cattle the “average” feedlot marketed to beef packers in April rebounded from the March low but remained slightly lower than last year and significantly lower than the 2016-2020 average. The data came from the Kansas State University Extension Service which polled a select segment of Kansas feed yards for the information, … Read More
Federal Reserve: Farm Real Estate Debt Up Modestly
Farm real estate debt at commercial banks grew modestly in the first quarter, while production loans remained steady, said Economists Nate Kauffman and Ty Kreitman of the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank, in a report. Alongside soaring farmland values, real estate loan balances increased at the fastest pace in nearly four years and drove an … Read More