On a monthly basis, retail grocers and restaurants are getting even more of the proceeds from the sale of beef, government data show. The current climate of a growing US herd and rising beef supplies, coupled with rising demand from a growing economy are allowing this trend, market analysts said.  Further widening of the gap … Read More

The latest available trade data for red meat, poultry and dairy show that foreign demand for these products accounts for a significant share of US animal products production, according to the USDA’s Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook Wednesday.   2017 BEEF EXPORTS SEEN STRONG   Last year, beef exports accounted for 10.1% of commercial production, … Read More

Things are getting tougher for beef packers as beef markets weaken and fed cattle prices and futures hold tough or even increase. Wholesale boxed-beef values are declining, following last year’s general trend and running below the 2011-2015 average.  It’s likely that booking for early spring retail features will take wholesale beef prices higher sometime within … Read More

The US beef herd grew 7.3% since the latest low on Jan. 1, 2014 to 31.2 million head on Jan. 1 this year, and there are indications it will continue to grow aggressively.  However, this growth can be expected to be uneven across major cattle states. Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist, … Read More

Managed money, or large commodity investment funds, broke their 12-week buying spree during the week ended Tuesday and cut their net long live cattle futures position, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission said Friday. In its weekly Commitments of Traders report, the CFTC said managed money trimmed their net long live cattle position by 5,675 contracts, … Read More

Average fed cattle prices this year were expected to decline, even though the 2017 beef production estimate was lowered from a month ago, in the face of higher pork and poultry production. That prediction was made in the latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report issued by the USDA’s World Outlook Board Thursday.  The … Read More

Stagnant 2016 restaurant traffic worries some food industry analysts, even though individual spending was up. As goes the US quick service restaurant segment, so goes the total foodservice industry, said NPD Group in a release Wednesday.  NPD Group is a leading consumer trends research firm based in Chicago. QSRs, which represent 80% of total commercial … Read More