The cattle herd looks to be in for some more contraction. February cow slaughter was up 12.2 percent over last year – though February 2022 was down 9.5 percent from 2020 and 12.4 percent from 2019, but those high slaughter numbers are a sign of more contraction. For the last week of February, cow slaughter was 21.1 percent of the overall kill compared to 20.3 percent last year. Typically, this is the time of year when dairy cow slaughter increases, but the beef cow numbers have been large too on top of a big run last fall. Aside from what it portends for the beef cattle herd moving forward, it is also a sign of the uncertain economic times now. Despite the increase in cow slaughter, cull cow prices have been bullish, unl...
What You Need to Know Today: Russia rejected calls for a ceasefire in the Black Sea, including a proposal to halt attacks on civilian shipping that could help restore grain flows from Ukrainian ports. Tyson Foods announced plans to permanently close its Joslin, Illinois, beef processing facili...
The big news in the cattle markets yesterday was Tyson Foods’ move to close two more beef plants. One of them, the Joslin, Illinois, plant was shuttered immediately after the announcement. The other, in Eagle Mountain, Utah, is a case-ready plant that does not slaughter cattle. Tyson also...
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the Consumer Price Index (CPI) on Wednesday. In July, the CPI rose 0.1 percent, seasonally adjusted, and rose 3.4 percent over the last 12 months, not seasonally adjusted. The index for all items less food and energy, or the “core” infla...
From WPI Consulting
Weighing in on strategic realignment
WPI’s team was retained by the governing board of a U.S. industry organization to review a decision, reached by vote, to invest significant assets into the development and management of an export trading company. WPI’s team conducted a formal review of this decision and concluded that the current level of market saturation would limit the benefits of the investment. Based on WPI’s analysis and recommended actions, the board subsequently reversed its decision and undertook a strategic planning effort to identify more impactful investments. On behalf of numerous clients, WPI has not only assisted in identifying strategic paths but also advised their implementation.