Debate rages over the USDA’s Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration’s announced update in regulations that “protects the rights of farmers.” Proponents of the rules say they are long overdue, especially in the chicken industry where many feel they have been the victim of chicken company, or integrator, retaliation for a variety of things. Opponents … Read More
Cattle Futures Seeking Bullishness
Live cattle futures have held their rally that started with the Thursday, Oct. 13, low of $97.80 per cwt, and the market seems to want to add more bullishness into the equation, that is, if the US dollar will cooperate. Many market analysts in October and through November kept advising scale-up hedge selling by cattle … Read More
2016 A Tough Year For Cow/Calf Producers
For cow/calf producers, 2016 will go down as a tough, tough year as calf prices in many cases have not covered the cost of feed, labor, management and investment. Some are beginning to wonder if what has been a growing US cattle herd could turn suddenly into a declining herd. That could be a reason … Read More
Will job creation and interest rates affect the ranch gate?
The US Labor Department said US unemployment fell to 4.6% in the latest report. Whether or not that’s actually true, it begs the question — will beef demand get a boost? asked Nevil Speer, Vice President of US operations of AgriClear Inc., in his latest article in Beef magazine. Speer’s edited comments are used with … Read More
Higher Beef Production Estimate Overwhelms Other Meats
As if supplies weren’t already more than ample, the USDA Friday raised its estimated 2016 total red meat and poultry production from the November report. In its December World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report, the USDA estimated total red meat and poultry production to 97.517 billion pounds, up 4 million, or 0.004%, from 97.513 … Read More
Southeast Rain Too Much, Too Fast For Soils
The rain that came to the Southeast last weeks ago helped to extinguish the Gatlinburg, Tenn., fires came in a gush, which was too fast to help soil moisture levels much, although it did help ponds and streams, according to a retired meteorologist. David Salmon, who developed his own seven-day topsoil and departure-from-normal soil moisture … Read More
October Kansas Feedlot Marketings Higher
Kansas feedlots are stepping up their sales to packers, pushing October marketings to the highest level this year and to more than double the 2010-2014 average, according to a Kansas State University monthly survey. On average, Kansas feedlots sold 6,195 head to packers in October, 574, or 10.2%, more than the next highest monthly total … Read More