U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., sent a letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, requesting continued engagement with the Canadian government regarding Canada’s implementation of dairy pricing changes as part of a new Canadian National Ingredients Strategy. “Since April of 2016, … Read More
Beef Prices Near Sustainable Levels
Cattle and beef prices have recovered coming into spring, with beef and competing protein prices underlie it all. The Choice boxed-beef price recovered nearly 20% from its January low by the end of March, to the neighborhood of $2.20 per pound. Paul Dykstra, beef cattle specialist for the Certified Angus Beef ® (CAB®) brand, says history suggests a little more … Read More
CattleFax Announces Outlook & Strategies Seminar
The cattle industry is facing larger domestic supplies for 2017 and 2018, and pork and poultry production will be record large as well says CattleFax. Beef industry participants will feel the far-reaching influence of livestock expansion well beyond 2016. CattleFax will discuss those implications in detail during its Outlook & Strategies 2017 Seminar on Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2016 in Littleton, … Read More
This Month's Dairy Market Report
This month’s Dairy Market Report from the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) shows that increased production per cow and expectations for additional milk production growth has dampened the outlook for milk prices for the remainder of 2016. The report also finds that rising inventories have placed pressure on pot market prices for Cheddar cheese. The pressure will soon be reflected … Read More
Rabobank Quarterly Report on South American Beef Exports
Rabobank Food and Agribusiness Research (FAR) and Advisory group have released a new report on their “Beef Quarterly Q1 2016: South American Exports to Rise.” The report finds South America’s beef exporters are set to increase exports by an estimated 11% in 2016. This increase is supported by favorable currency values, improved access to importing countries and increased availability of … Read More
Low Corn Prices Offer Benefits for Dairymen
While the decreasing price of corn has sparked concern throughout the agriculture industry, the resulting low feed prices do offer several benefits to livestock producers and the dairy industry. Low feed prices can help to soften the blow from the continued decrease in global price and demand for milk. Many factors seem to demonstrate that the new long-term “normal” for … Read More
CoBank Report for U.S. Protein in 2016
CoBank, an agribusiness lender, released a new research report stating they believe indicators point to animal protein supplies moving toward a state of equilibrium, with protein stocks more in line with overall levels of demand. I spoke with Trevor Amen, animal protein economist with CoBank, to learn more about how the report will impact producers. “The overall focus of this … Read More
Dairy and Pork Prices Down, Eggs Up in Survey
The American Farm Bureau has once again compiled national averages for food prices in their Fall Harvest Marketbasket Survey. The survey shows the cost of whole milk, cheddar cheese, bacon and apples has decreased from last year, causing the overall price of a meal to be down $.12, or 1 percent. Ten of the items surveyed decreased in price, six … Read More
House Reauthorizes Mandatory Livestock Price Reporting
The House has voted to reauthorizing Mandatory Livestock Price Reporting through 2020. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the National Pork Producers Council applaud this bill, saying it will ensure cattle producers have access to critical market information. “We thank the members of the House in passing this important legislation to ensure cattlemen and women have access to market information,” said NCBA … Read More
Pork Economic Situation and Outlook
The record yields and production predicted for the U.S. corn crop this year have good potential to get even bigger, according to livestock economist Steve Meyer, Paragon Economics. “It just looks very good … we’re looking at a great crop,” said Meyer at the Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica North Carolina Swine Health Seminar last week. “Based on history, the two years … Read More