Low unemployment in Nebraska is a sign of a strong economy, but tightening labor markets and a weak agricultural base may be limiting future growth potential, said a study by the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. Nathan Kauffman, assistant vice president and Omaha Branch executive, along with John McCoy, research associate, authored the report, … Read More

The 2018 pork production outlook early this year calling for modest profitability has shifted to losses, said Agricultural Economist Chris Hurt in a weekly outlook from Purdue University. Higher costs and lost exports as China implements a 25% tariff on US pork Monday were cited as reasons.   HIGHER PRODUCTION COSTS   Rising feed costs … Read More

Large commodity investment funds, called managed money, continued moving their collective net long live cattle futures position toward zero in the week ended Tuesday as producers continued covering short positions. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission made the data available in its weekly Commitments of Traders report Friday. In the report, the CFTC said managed money’s … Read More

Bearish sentiment is taking over the fed cattle cash market, and they could follow the direction of the 2012-2016 average and sag unevenly into a late summer low. Last year, unexpectedly strong beef demand pushed cash cattle prices uncharacteristically higher.  However, expected larger supplies of fed cattle this year are pressuring the market while chilly … Read More

While hay exports still remain a small portion of total US hay production, they continued to rise in 2017, eclipsing 4 million tonnes, according to USDA Foreign Agriculture Service data reported in a release by Hay and Forage Grower. Total exports of alfalfa and other hay (think grass) hit 4.2 million tonnes.  This exceeds 2016’s … Read More

Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist Derrell Peel, said mixed macroeconomic signals are shaking the cattle markets.  His comments were in the state Extension Service’s “Cow/Calf Corner” and were instructive and are condensed for space here. So far in 2018, beef production is higher than last year as expected, with increased slaughter and carcass … Read More

After US President Donald Trump announced tariffs on aluminum and steel imports, which took effect Friday, he announced his intention to slap additional tariffs on $60 billion worth of Chinese products for intellectual theft over the last several years.  The decision is causing concern in agricultural circles. In response, China released a proposed list of … Read More