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

Large commodity investment funds, called managed money, trimmed their collective net long live cattle futures position in the week ended last Tuesday, Aug 30, as hedgers cut their total net short position. The information came from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s weekly Commitments of Traders report Friday, which revealed that managed money had liquidated some … Read More

Strong growth in farm real estate debt pushed agricultural loan balances at commercial banks higher in the second quarter, said Kansas City Federal Reserve Economists Nate Kauffman and Ty Kreitman in a release. Outstanding farm debt increased about 5% from the previous year, the fastest pace in nearly six years, Kauffman and Kreitman said.  While … Read More

Speaking at an annual economic policy symposium sponsored by the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City and held in Jackson Hole, WY., Friday, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said, the Federal Open Market Committee’s overarching focus right now is to bring inflation back down to its 2% goal. “Price stability is the responsibility of the … Read More

Colorado State University Agricultural Economist Stephen Koontz said in a Livestock Marketing Information Center newsletter to Extension agents this week called In The Cattle Markets that strong domestic and export demand was fueling strong beef prices. That shouldn’t be a big surprise, but Koontz added that “if beef prices are strong and supplies are reasonably … Read More