I discussed risk in an article a couple of months ago and explained that risk exposure is often a daily occurrence for most cattle producers and often comes in two forms: price risk and production risk.

Cattle producers are faced with challenges and worries that come almost on a daily basis. Before a calf is born, one hopes the cow is in good health and doesn’t abort the calf. When a calf is due, additional worries arise: Will the cow be able to have the calf on her own? Will the calf be alive and in good health?

September is upon us and many cow-calf producers are considering how to market their spring-born calves. Unfortunately, September is also the time of year when cattle markets typically take a seasonal downturn.

Negotiations with China regarding the details of an agreement to ship U.S. beef to China have been ongoing for the last few months, and were finalized June 12. It didn't take long for the Greater Omaha Packing Company to take advantage.

Trade has been a hot topic in the news for the last several months, with discussions surrounding the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), border tariffs and most recently the Brazilian beef scandal.

The 2016 elections are now a distant memory and the transition into a new presidential administration is nearly complete. Now that the dust has settled a bit and most of the cabinet picks have been confirmed, talk about the 2018 Farm Bill has begun to heat up.

For the first time in several years, on average, cow-calf producers are projected to have a negative net return. What does that mean, and what can be done about it?

For most cattle producers, it is common knowledge that lighter weight cattle bring higher prices per hundredweight than heavier cattle. This phenomenon is known as the “price slide.”

The fall cattle run is in full swing across the country. With many producers considering selling their calves in the very near future, cattle markets are on the forefront of their minds. Before we look too far ahead, it is worth setting the stage by reviewing how we arrived where we are today.