Given the current situation, the prevent plant provision in crop insurance is a potentially important acreage issue, said agricultural economists at Ohio State University and the University of Illinois in an analysis in farmdocdaily. Smaller than expected South American soybean production, the Ukraine-Russia War, and little-to-no expected increase in US principal crop acres in 2022 … Read More

The monthly USDA Economic Research Service Meat Price Spread data for March showed retail beef prices remained elevated while pork and chicken retail prices hit record highs. A newsletter for Extension staff from the Livestock Marketing Information Center said March retail beef prices averaged $7.67 a pound, up $1.20, or 18.6%, from a year earlier. … Read More

The Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer rose eight points in April to a reading of 121, said Purdue University Agricultural Economist James Mintert, in a release. However, the barometer remains 32% below its reading from the same time last year, Mintert said.  Producers’ perspective on current conditions and future expectations saw an uptick over … Read More

As spring weather slowly warms the Northern Hemisphere, the USDA’s boxed beef cutout value of choice, 600- to 900-pound carcasses seems stalled, unable to muster a decent rally, a market analyst said. By now, beef demand should be showing a marked rise in weekly prices for boxed beef at the wholesale level.  Instead, a quick … Read More

Large commodity investment funds, known as managed money, increased their collective net long live cattle futures position during the week ended Tuesday as futures prices sagged. The data came from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s weekly Commitments of Traders report, issued Friday for the week ended the previous Tuesday.   FUNDS GO LONGER   Already … Read More

Most nitrogen fertilizers likely are in place for the 2022 spring crop season in North America, albeit at much higher prices.  However, the continuing Ukraine-Russia war can limit fertilizer supplies for the crops that will be planted in South America later in 2022, leading to further price pushes for fertilizer used in North America for … Read More

The current level of heifers on feed does not suggest heifer retention for herd expansion, said Derrel Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension livestock marketing specialist, in a letter to Extension agents called Cow-Calf Corner. From 2014-2016 in the last herd expansion, the average level of heifers on feed was 33.6%, Peel said.  The total on-feed … Read More