The USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service in Beijing, China, said Friday in a report that it maintained is 2025 forecast for a decline in China’s pork and beef production. As a result of the domestic production decline and growing market demand, the FAS forecast China’s beef imports to grow in 2025.  But the FAS revised downward … Read More

The USDA Tuesday raised its estimate of total red meat and poultry production for 2025 on higher beef and chicken production forecasts from February’s report, which was offset partially by lower pork and turkey production forecasts. However, the new beef production estimate was down from 2024 and 2023, while pork and broiler production were forecast … Read More

After millions of chickens have been culled to control Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, the US chicken industry is doing everything it can to cash in on the resulting higher prices. As a result, chicken price prospects are moderating as production increases, the Livestock Marketing Information Center in Denver said in its newsletter Livestock Monitor.   … Read More

Managed money, a proxy for large commodity index funds, again liquidated a portion of their collective net long live cattle futures position during the week ended Tuesday.  It was their fourth straight week of liquidation. At the same time, commercial traders, who generally approach the futures market as a means to hedge a cash market … Read More

This week, Canada implemented a 25% retaliatory tariff on an initial tranche of more than $20 billion in US imports, including $5.5 billion worth of agricultural products, the USDA’s Foreign Agriculture Service reported. CBS News reported Thursday that President Donald Trump had paused tariffs on Mexican imports until April 2. China responded to new US … Read More

Overall economic activity rose slightly since mid-January, according to the Federal Reserve Bank’s Beige Book Wednesday, which outlines US economic activity eight times a year. Six districts reported no change, four reported modest or moderate growth, and two noted slight contractions, the Beige Book said. Consumer spending was lower, with reports of solid demand for … Read More

Shrinking cattle inventories lead to a wide range of effects on the multi-sectored cattle industry, including rising feeder prices and changes in price relationships that affect economic incentives of the various cattle production sectors. Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension livestock marketing specialist, said in a letter called In The Cattle Markets that as feeder … Read More