The latest USDA Cattle on Feed report reported another record number of cattle on feed for June 1 at 11.846 million head.

The first half of 2022 is in the books. The general direction of cattle and beef market forecasts for this year has not changed, but annual forecasts have been modified by the way the first half of the year has played out, with implications for a significantly different second half of the year.

U.S. farmers and ranchers raising calves now have access to the free Calf Care and Quality Assurance (CCQA) program online. CCQA promotes thinking that prompts calf raisers to approach management decisions with thoughtfulness and an appreciation for the responsibility they have to their animals, consumers, the environment and the broader cattle industry.

View a map that includes facilities announced to process 500 head or more. Smaller planned facilities were not included. The online dates noted are the last known or publicized completion date for these projects.

As we move into June, cattle markets are transitioning into summer mode, reflecting seasonality and a myriad of other factors which are currently impacting markets. Market impacts vary across different classes of cattle.

Butchers from across the Northeast region traveled to compete in Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative’s (NEBPI) Best Beef Butcher Contest on Thursday, May 12. The contest was hosted in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Meat Processors Annual Conference and was held at the Penn State Meat Laboratory in State College, Pennsylvania.

The USDA has updated three key crop insurance options for livestock producers: the Dairy Revenue Protection (Dairy-RP), Livestock Gross Margin (LGM) and Livestock Risk Protection (LRP).

This past week, the U.S. Federal Reserve voted to raise a key interest rate by a half point. This has received a noticeable amount of attention because it is already the second rate hike this year and the largest one-time increase since 2000.