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.
Alan Bjerga, Senior Vice President of Communications with the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), shares updates and resources available to dairy producers.
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The idea of buying more beef from Argentina does not sit well with much of farm country, raising some questions from analysts and producers.
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Imported lean beef continues to play a critical role in U.S. hamburger and ground-beef production, with any added volume from Argentina serving as a supplement — not a market overhaul.
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A fast-moving series of trade signals from the White House and key partners is resetting the near-term outlook for U.S. agriculture.
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Stay alert for trade announcements—especially border reopening timelines, tariff threats, and developments in Brazil’s export flows.
October 24, 2025 01:56 PM
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R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard joins Market Day Report for his insight on the USDA’s plan to strengthen the U.S. beef industry.
October 24, 2025 01:28 PM
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