USDA released the April WASDE today with new 2026 meat production forecasts, changed from the March release.
Beef is now projected at 25.79 billion pounds, down 20 million from March, mostly on lower first-half steer and heifer slaughter. Higher cow slaughter will partially offset the reduced fed cattle slaughter, and heavier weights will keep production up. Imports are forecast to increase based on recent trade data and continued demand for lean processing beef for hamburger. Domestic consumption is forecast to be up as well. Yearly average cattle prices were left unchanged, with an average steer price of $242 per hundredweight, with the exception of the first quarter, which was updated to reflect reported price data through March. ...
What You Need to Know Today: Headlines emerging from negotiations between President Trump and President Xi were relatively limited, with a more substantive announcement expected Monday. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer indicated that additional details related to agricultural trade cou...
The heat of summer is now transitioning into more moderate temperatures, and the next two months have the busiest marketing periods of the year for replacement cattle. Weather always influences the replacement cattle market, and the primary grain belt in the Southern Plains, where many cattle a...
Key Takeaways: Diesel accounts for about 64 percent of U.S. farm fuel spending. For farmers, the pressing question is what a higher price adds to each field operation. Iowa farm diesel averaged $5.50/gallon in September, compared with the $2.89/gallon Iowa State assumed for its February machin...
