The USDA has lowered its 2026 red meat production forecasts while leaving poultry almost unchanged. Beef is now projected at 24.877 billion pounds, 90 million pounds below August on slower Q3 fed cattle slaughter and lighter dressed weights, along with an anticipated counterseasonal cutback in Q4 cow slaughter. Pork is pegged at 27.771 billion pounds, down 105 million pounds on lighter dressed weights and slower processing, along with dips in exports and consumption. Finally, broilers are seen at 49.62 billion pounds, effectively steady, down just 3 million pounds.
For 2027, the red meat and poultry production forecast is reduced as lower beef and pork production more than offsets higher broiler production. Beef production is lowered on li...
What You Need to Know Today: USDA cut the 2026 corn yield forecast by 1.6 BPA to 179.6, shaving 141 Mbu off the crop. Corn ending stocks were cut by 91 Mbu to a level that pushed the ending stocks-to-use (ESU) ratio to 10.8 percent. Conversely, USDA raised the soybean yield forecast 0.2 BPA to...
Key Takeaways: Expanding U.S. soybean crushing capacity is strengthening domestic demand, driven largely by growing soyoil consumption from the renewable diesel and biofuels industries. Despite increased domestic processing, substantial quantities of U.S. soybeans are expected to remain availa...
