The cattle markets bring a mix optimistic and caution news. Fed cattle prices are at levels not seen since mid-2015. The substantial heifer composition of FI fed slaughter and the reasonably aggressive beef cow slaughter and liquidation clearly communicates the tightening future beef supplies.

The latest Cattle on Feed report showed a record April feedlot inventory of 12.1 million head, up 1.7% year over year. The quarterly inventory of steers on feed was up 1.8% year over year, while the inventory of heifers on feed was up 1.7% over one year ago.

Following the April USDA report highlighting an increase in Brazilian beef imports, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) renewed its call for the immediate suspension of fresh beef imports from Brazil.

The recent USDA Foreign Agricultural Service bulletin on Livestock and Poultry: World Markets and Trade provides a current summary of the major beef-consuming and importing countries in the world.

The 2019 “global burden of disease” (GBD) study published earlier this year in the influential scientific journal The Lancet is expected to make substantial revisions to claims linking red meat consumption to worldwide deaths.

The Public Lands Council (PLC) and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) denounced March 31 the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) proposed decision on the American Prairie Reserve’s (APR) request to graze bison on seven grazing allotments in Montana.

Declining beef and pork production may offset increased broiler production and lead to a decrease in total meat production in 2022.

The USDA announced the launch of the Meat and Poultry Processing Capacity Technical Assistance Program (MPPTA) to provide technical assistance to meat and poultry grant applicants and grant-funded projects.