Too much volume; too much volatility; too much big money; what’s a hedger to do? Such issues have plagued the live and feeder cattle futures markets for years, but no one has come up with a viable solution.  Many traders and economists lay the blame for high volatility in the futures markets and a lack … Read More

Following three months of strong gains, the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer shifted course in February, declining to a reading of 134, compared with 153 in January. A survey of farm and ranch attitudes about the economy and their outlook about operating within the economy is done monthly and graphed for easier viewing.  It … Read More

Managed money, or large commodity funds, trimmed their net long live cattle futures position in the week ended Tuesday, while commercial traders pruned their net short positions, according to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The CFTC’s weekly Commitments of Traders report Friday said managed money’s new net long position amounted to 91,983 contracts, down 1,633, … Read More

The USDA World Outlook Board’s latest estimate for 2017 meat production was increased from February as higher forecast beef production estimates more than offset lower forecasts for pork and turkey production.  The broiler production estimate was unchanged from February. The new figures came in the WOB’s latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report Thursday. … Read More

They’ve stopped measuring the amount acres of grassland burned by wind-thrashed fires in four states.  Now, they’re talking hundreds of square miles. Thousands of cattle and calves have been killed, many of which had to be put out of their misery by their owners, and at least six people have died in Oklahoma, Kansas and … Read More

Japanese beef production continued to decline last year, while pork production rebounded, said The USDA Foreign Agricultural Service in its semi-annual Livestock and Products report from Japan. US chilled beef exports grew 50% during the year, driving the US share of total beef imports to a 13-year high, the report said.  US beef exports to … Read More

Total red meat and poultry consumption in the US is expected to rise again this year and next with the largest gains coming in beef and chicken, according to USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service data. The Livestock Marketing Information Center compiled the statistics, which show that total per-capita red meat and poultry consumption this year … Read More