The USDA’s monthly World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report forecast total US red meat and poultry production for 2019 would be 105.358 billion pounds, 2.369 billion, or 2.30%, above 2018’s 102.989 billion. However, the 2018 production forecast was lowered 504 million pounds, or 0.49%, from last month to 102.989 billion pounds from 103.493 billion. … Read More

With the world getting smaller and world trade competition heating up, it pays to take a look at the agriculture outlook in other countries.  In this vein, the staff at the USDA’s Foreign Agriculture Service estimated Argentina’s crop production for the 2018/2019 crop year. In a report, FAS staff said Argentine wheat production was forecast … Read More

This year’s late spring could have a deleterious effect on this year’s total US hay crop as some farmers get fewer cuttings because of the weather and others hit a time conflict with other fieldwork. An article on “Hay and Forage Grower” said “2018 won’t be characterized as anything other than a late spring.  Fieldwork … Read More

US beef exports in March set a new monthly value record, and pork export value reached the second-highest level on record shepherding first-quarter total red meat exports to a strong showing, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the US Meat Export Federation. The US is exporting a large share of its beef … Read More

Large investment firms, called managed money, are closing in on a zero net live cattle futures position with their tenth straight week of long liquidation, according to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The CFTC’s weekly Commitments of Traders report said managed money’s new net long live cattle position was 11,431 contracts, down 3,956, or 25.7%, … Read More

With implications for US hard red winter wheat production and pastures in the Southern Plains and the Southwest, the worst drought conditions expanded in the latest week, the US Drought Monitor showed Thursday. Storm systems during the week ended Tuesday steered north of drought-stricken areas of the Southwest that saw further deterioration in drought conditions, … Read More

It should be a good year to be in the cattle business if the Sterling Beef Profit Tracker is accurate in its predictions. The Sterling Beef Profit Tracker comes from Sterling Marketing of Vale, Ore., and is published by “AgWeb.” For 2018, the Beef Profit Tracker estimated feedlot margins at a positive $51.00 per head, … Read More