Although cattle imports and export totals sound large in absolute numbers, the role of imported cattle is rather modest in domestic markets, said Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University livestock marketing specialist in a letter to Extension Agents called Cow-Calf Corner. Imports of slaughter cows/bulls for the first seven months of 2022 accounted for 2.8% of … Read More

The USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service reported in an annual report that China’s 2023 imports of breeding swine and pork were expected to decline to 5,000 head and 1.85 million tonnes, respectively.  Lower domestic hog and pork price were cited for the forecast decline in imports. Consumer price sensitivity and competition among producers were expected to … Read More

The USDA’s new forecast for 2022 red meat and poultry production was fractionally higher Monday than last month, as higher beef, pork and broiler forecasts were balanced by a lower turkey forecast. For 2023, the red meat and poultry production forecast was raised on higher beef and broiler production expectations. The latest forecasts came in … Read More

After a one-week lull, large commodity investment funds, or managed money, resumed building their collective net long live cattle futures position in the week ended Tuesday. At the same time, commercial traders, those who own, or will own, the cattle, increased their total net short cattle position. The data came from the Commodity Futures Trading … Read More

US beef exports again topped $1 billion in July and posted the fifth-largest volume on record, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the US Meat Export Federation. Pork exports remained below last year’s pace but continued to gain strength in Colombia and the Caribbean and stayed above year-ago for Mexico, the leading … Read More

Economic activity was unchanged, on balance, since early July, with five districts reporting slight to modest growth and five others reporting slight to modest softening, according to the Federal Reserve Bank’s monthly Beige Book. Most districts reported steady consumer spending as households continued to trade down and shift spending away from discretionary goods and toward … Read More

The Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer farmer sentiment index rose 14 points in August to a reading of 117, said Purdue Agricultural Economist James Mintert, in a release. The Ag Economy Barometer is calculated each month from 400 US agricultural producers’ responses to a telephone survey.  This survey was conducted from August 15-19, after … Read More