We are seeing a disturbing trend in small to mid-sized feeder lots.
They are sitting empty, while the packer-owned lots are running at full capacity. R-Calf USA CEO Bill Bullard warns that it could lead to a decline in independent farm feeders.
“We have extremely high prices because of the incredibly tight supplies, and that means the feeder cattle that would be moving into feed lots are in short supply, and so those prices have skyrocketed to never-before-seen prices. However, the fat cattle market is not keeping pace with the feeder cattle markets. That means there are a lot of independent feeders out there that would like to. Fill their feed yards, but they can’t pencil out a profit, nor can they hedge their purchases.”
Bullard adds that this situation could further reduce market outlets for cow-calf and yearling operators.
American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) economist Danny Munch explains how the Emergency Livestock Relief Program application process differs from other USDA aid programs.
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California rancher and former NCBA President Kevin Kester joined House Republicans on Tuesday to tout provisions in the Big, Beautiful Bill that support family ranches.
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Producers may need to prepare for margin pressure in livestock feeding, while dairy farmers could benefit from stronger product demand.
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RFD-TV Markets Expert Tony St. James breaks down the state of agribusiness and harvest progress across the U.S. for the week of Monday, September 15, 2025.
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Missouri Cattle RanchHER Alda Owen joined us on Monday’s Market Day Report to talk about the all-new episode of FarmHER + RanchHER, which premieres on Thursday, Sept. 19!
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U.S. trade talks with China resume, but meat industry leaders say dealing with shifting demand and market uncertainty is nothing new in this side of the ag sector.
September 15, 2025 12:57 PM
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