As is common for the start of each new year, multiple analysts are sharing their views on what will be key factors impacting the meat and livestock markets in 2015. A nice summary of points I have been sharing and fully concur with are those provided on Dec. 31 by the authors of CME's Daily Livestock Report. (PDF, 216KB)

Few things have been more contentious in recent years within the U.S. meat and livestock industry than mandatory country of origin labeling (MCOOL). The debates around MCOOL have a long history now encompassing the originally implemented rule in 2009, the modified rule of 2013 and multiple rounds of the World Trade Organization (WTO) assessment regarding international trade appropriateness.

The choice retail beef and all fresh beef demand (AFBD) indices for the third quarter of 2014 each rose by 3.9 percent. There now have been year-over-year increases in the AFBD index in 16 of the last 17 quarters (only exception was Q1 2014).

Tis the season for analysts to look back at the nearly completed calendar year and to engage in speculation regarding the forthcoming year. In that spirit, I first encourage readers to make use of the growing list of available resources that summarize the situation experienced by cattle producers in 2013.

In multiple circles the cattle industry has a renewed sense of optimism with possible beef cow herd expansion being thoroughly discussed again. Underlying this optimism is a growing view that many cow-calf operators are nearing a situation of being not only able to physically add breeding stock, but also that operators have forward-looking profit expectations that warrant expansion.