While US livestock producers have benefited from stronger market conditions, crop producers continue to face tighter margins. Results from the February Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer survey of about 400 farmers provide insight into how these differences are influencing producer sentiment, growth expectations and transition plans by farm type, according to Purdue University.   … Read More

For the third straight week, large commodity index funds, called managed money, trimmed their collective net long live cattle futures position in the week ended Tuesday as cash cattle traders edged their total net short position downward. The information is contained within Friday’s weekly Commitments of Traders report from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.   … Read More

Ongoing weather conditions and longer-term structural adjustments in agriculture suggest that beef cow herd rebuilding will continue to be a slow process, said Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension livestock marketing specialist, in a letter called Cow-Calf Corner.   BEEF COW HERD AT CYCLICAL LOW?   The Jan. 1 beef cow inventory was 27.607 million … Read More

Fall 2025 was a reminder of how sensitive the cattle market is to news and surprises. A look at the November 2025 Feeder Cattle futures contract and weekly cash prices in Arkansas highlight just how quickly prices can move, said James Mitchell, Extension economist, at the University of Arkansas, in a Livestock Marketing Information Center … Read More

Amid the cacophony of tariffs, no tariffs, less tariffs, the continuing drought, the fighting in Iran, rising inflation, employment concerns and whatever else there is, one thing remains in the cattle and beef markets – lean beef prices continue to climb. USDA-reported wholesale prices for 90% lean beef and 50% lean beef (both of which … Read More

US pork exports trended higher year-over-year in January, led by another outstanding performance from leading market Mexico, according to data released by the USDA and compiled by the US Meat Export Federation. And, in a release, the USMEF said January beef exports were lower than a year ago because of the prolonged lockout by China, … Read More

During the week ended Tuesday, large commodity index funds, called managed money, reduced their collective net long live cattle futures position while, cash cattle traders cut their total net short position. The data for such a conclusion came from the weekly Commitments of Traders report Friday from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.   FUNDS SELL … Read More