Industry Headlines

CME: Canadian beef supplies likely to continue shrinking

Canadian cattle supplies have been shrinking since 2005 and, in the short term beef supplies will likely be even tighter as producers try to hold back heifers and rebuild the herd. ... Full story.

Monday Market Sentiment: Gains continue after late-week rush

After a rally last week, survey of cattle-industry leaders suggests the average price for cash cattle will increase $1.17 to $128.19 per cwt this week. ... Full story.

Higher beef prices drive rally in fed cattle market

Derrell Peel of Oklahoma State University provides the cattle market observations, following an impressive rally in the fed cattle market and another week of strengthening prices in the feeder cattle trade. ... Full story.

NCBA’s J.D. Alexander praises final FTA with South Korea

United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk announced Tues., Feb. 21, 2012, that the free trade agreement between the United States and South Korea (KORUS FTA) will be implemented on March 15, 2012. ... Full story.

‘My Little Ag Me’ game invites K-2 students to explore

The popular agricultural gaming site MyAmericanFarm.org just released an enhanced version of an engaging game, My Little Ag Me. ... Full story.

Feedyard margins – Wow! Packer margins – Ouch!

Cattle feeders saw profit margins leap amazingly higher on the strength of cash prices $5 per hundredweight higher, but it was another forgetable week for packers. Pork producer margins remain solidly in the black. ... Full story.

Canada 2011 farm income hits record high

Canadian farmers recorded record-high net income in 2011, but their earnings are likely to slip modestly in 2012, Statistics Canada said on Monday. ... Full story.

Fed cattle to new records; feeders, boxed and retail beef advance

Cattle and beef markets moved significantly higher last week, with cash fed cattle reaching new record highs. Feeder cattle and calf prices also advanced as stocker buyers continue to exhibit an early plague of grass fever. ... Full story.

Performance paradigm II: Carcass marketing window

Most managers who’ve sold a few pens of cattle can eyeball a pen of cattle and thumbnail when the average of the pen is ready to be shipped. It’s what we do. ... Full story.

Expansion versus explosion

Even in the most favorable times, expansion in beef production is a slow process, and the shift toward herd growth analysts expect in coming years could be even more so, a USDA report suggests. This month’s Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook report includes a suggestion titled “Mixed Signals Cloud Beef’s Future,” outlining some of the challenges and barriers the industry faces in expanding from today’s historically low beef-cow numbers. ... Full story.

United States cattle inventory and situation

On January 27, 2012, the USDA/NASS released the semi-annual Cattle report. Most information in the report was expected. ... Full story.

U.S. cattle imports 8 percent lower in 2011

U.S. cattle imports for 2011 totaled 2.1 million head, marking an 8 percent decline from year-earlier levels. ... Full story.