US March pork exports were the largest since May 2021, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the US Meat Export Federation.  Beef exports were the largest since October but still less than last year’s high volume.   PORK EXPORTS UP 17%   March pork exports totaled 260,195 tonnes, up 37.614, or 16.9%, … Read More

In what has been described as a “historically bad year,” many Kansas farmers are facing a tough decision: what to do with drought-stressed wheat that has little-to-no chance of making a crop. “Abandonment will be a big deal (this year) – the real unknown,” said Kansas Wheat Commission CEO Justin Gilpin. The state currently is … Read More

During the week ended Tuesday, managed money boosted their collective net long live cattle futures position, while hedgers advanced their total net short position, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission said in its weekly Commitments of Traders report Friday. Those changes came as the most-active Jun delivery month rose to challenge the contract high and then … Read More

Exceptional drought conditions appear to be building in the Central Plains, stressing large swaths of Hard Red Winter wheat acreage, although formerly droughty western states as well as the Midwest and Southeast moisture conditions are mostly normal, according to the latest weekly Drought Monitor from the National Weather Service.   DROUGHT SUMMARY   A pair … Read More

The latest Livestock and Poultry: World Markets and Trade report issued by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service in April provides updates and forecasts of beef, pork, and chicken meat production, consumption, exports, and imports for the major countries in each market.   GLOBAL PRODUCTION SEEN UP SLIGHTLY   Global beef production was projected to increase … Read More

The difference between wholesale prices of choice and select grades of beef, known as the choice/select spread, is widening rapidly, according to USDA data compiled, graphed and published by the Livestock Marketing Information Center in Denver. The choice/select spread last week was listed at $20.96, up $4.24, or 25.4%. from $16.72 the previous week, up … Read More

Total red meat supplies in US freezers on March 31 were down about 1% from the previous month and down about 1% from last year, the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service said in a revised Cold Storage report from last week.  The updated version was released Monday. Total pounds of beef in freezers March 31 … Read More