February Kansas feedlot closeouts followed the 2015-2019 average decline from January closely, undercutting the year-earlier rate, according to data collected by the Kansas State University Extension Service and compiled by the Livestock Marketing Information Center in Denver. The K-State Extension Service collects the data from select, representative feedlots across the state each month, and the … Read More

February exports of US beef and pork remained below the rapid pace established in early 2020, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the US Meat Export Federation. However, exports were consistent with the USMEF’s February projections and the federation still expects 2021 beef exports to increase substantially year over year, the USMEF … Read More

Managed money, or large commodity investment firms increased their collective net long live cattle futures position in the week ended last Tuesday as hedgers boosted their net short position. The data was gleaned from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s weekly Commitments of Traders report Friday.   FUNDS LONGER CATTLER   Managed money’s new net long … Read More

The USDA, under the guidance of the World Agricultural Outlook Board, Friday reduced its estimate of 2021 total red meat and poultry production from a month earlier on lower expected pork and turkey production. The beef production forecast was raised from the March report amid a faster rate of cattle slaughter expected in the second … Read More

The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service’s Quarterly Stocks report and its Prospective Plantings report had significant implications for cattle feeders, said Oklahoma State University Agricultural Economist Derrell Peel. Peel made his comments in a newsletter to Extension Agents called Cow/Calf Corner.  In the letter, he said the reports indicated that corn stocks were tightening with … Read More

Proposed changes to farm estate taxes are a sign of the strong feelings that exist for changes to the current tax code, but some schemes could have significant effects to family farms, according to a white paper published by the Illinois Farmdocdaily. Economists Krista Swanson, Gary Schnitkey and Nick Paulson from the Department of Agricultural … Read More

The monthly Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer rose 12 points in March to a reading of 177, marking the highest reading for the barometer since October 2020, Purdue University agricultural economist, said in a release. The Ag Economy Barometer is calculated each month from 400 U.S. agricultural producers’ responses to a telephone survey. This … Read More