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Full-scale beef herd rebuild remains on hold
Typically, when beef prices are at a high level in the grocery store and herd numbers are low, the response is a rebuilding of supply. Nate Kauffman, the senior vice president and Omaha branch executive for the Kansas City Fed, says the numbers show there should be some rebuilding underway. Kauffman describes why producers are not eager to add to their herd right now. Despite the smaller herd size, Kauffman says the beef industry is finding ways to continue to meet beef demand by feeding to...
Looking at the volatility in cattle
Last week the U.S. Meat Export Federation held their annual meeting in Kansas City, MO. It came when livestock markets were in a state of heavy fluctuations. The Cattle market is seeing a little more of the volatility than the hogs are. There have been some erratic...
Livestock groups welcome farm bill markup
Livestock groups welcomed the House Agriculture Committee's action to markup the Farm Bill. The National Pork Producers Council says the bill supports all pork producer's farm bill requests, including a federal fix to the host of Prop. 12 issues plaguing producers and...
Red meat industry holds optimistic outlook for 2024
The U.S. red meat industry gathered in Kansas City last week for the annual U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) Spring Conference. USMEF Chair Randy Spronk sensed optimism among attendees for the remainder of 2024. Spronk stressed the need for an equal playing field...
Biosecurity vital for protecting livestock and farmhands from H5N1
The need for robust biosecurity measures for all species is greater than ever after the recent detections of H5N1 in dairy herds. Dr. Marisa Rotolo, National Pork Board’s Director of Swine Health, emphasized the importance of on-farm measures to keep it that way....
Persistent heavy rains creating replant concerns for Iowa growers
Frequent heavy rains in May have created replant concerns for many Iowa growers. What does this mean for the growing season in Iowa and how might agronomic concerns early in the growing cycle factor into the ag marketplace? Matt Bennett, co-founder of AgMarket.Net,...
Grassley, Feenstra, Ernst demand higher RVO levels
Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst, both Iowa Republicans, are demanding the Environmental Protection Agency raise 2024 and 2025 renewable volume obligations for biomass-based diesel and advanced biofuels. The lawmakers joined Representative Randy Feenstra, also...
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More Ag News
U.S. hog inventory up slightly
The U.S. inventory of hogs and pigs on September 1, 2024, totaled 76.5 million head, up slightly from September 1, 2023, and two percent higher than June 1, 2024. Breeding inventory, at 6.04 million head, was down two percent from last year, but up one percent from...
Rural North Carolina reeling after Hurricane Helene
We are no stranger to storm damage in the Midwest. Hail, tornados, and derechos can wreak havoc on our acres. But for everything we deal with, except for the 2020 derecho, it is nothing compared to the strength of a hurricane. The Southeastern part of the country is...
Quarterly Grain Stocks report didn’t make much of an impact
The grain markets were positioned for an impactful Quarterly Grain Stocks report, but what we got today was simply a neutral and slightly positive report. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said the corn numbers were friendly to the marketplace. McBride said the...
Partisan gridlock and the election could again delay farm, ag spending bills
Partisan gridlock and fallout from the November election could again force Congress to postpone key decisions for agriculture into 2025. It’s not just the farm bill, but USDA and other spending bills are also stuck in months of political gridlock in a narrowly divided...
Coastal port strike will have a big impact on meat and livestock industries
Longshoremen at ports along the East and Gulf Coasts are set to strike when their current labor contract expires at midnight tonight. U.S. Meat Export Federation Vice President for Economic Analysis Erin Borror said a shutdown will have a significant economic impact...
