NASHVILLE, TENN. (RFD-TV) — America’s beef sector is caught between record-high cattle prices, struggling packer margins, and a wave of renewed policy debates, according to the North American Meat Institute’s October report, The Reality of Beef and Cattle Markets (PDF Version). The group says tight cattle supplies are driving cow-calf and feedlot profits sharply higher — but packers remain in the red as plant utilization slips and labor and trade costs climb.
The Meat Institute notes producers’ share of the retail beef dollar has climbed to 55 percent, while packers’ share has fallen to just 5 percent. Concentration among major beef packers has held steady for three decades, countering claims of rising consolidation. Meanwhile, about half of all U.S. beef consumed is ground, and imports of lean trim — mainly from Argentina, Australia, and New Zealand — remain critical for meeting domestic burger demand. Even a proposed expansion of Argentine beef imports, the report says, would barely move U.S. retail prices.
The Institute also warns against reviving “bad ideas” such as mandatory country-of-origin labeling (mCOOL) and interstate sales of uninspected meat, calling both costly and risky to food safety. It urges the USDA to maintain strict federal inspection standards and coordination on the New World Screwworm response plan. On trade, the group says China’s refusal to reauthorize 415 U.S. beef plants violates the Phase One Agreement and has created major export losses that demand White House action.
Farm-Level Takeaway: Tight cattle supplies keep prices high for ranchers, but policy shifts, export barriers, and packer losses signal a volatile road ahead for the beef supply chain.
Key signs of the U.S. beef herd’s recovery are improved pasture conditions, lower feed costs, and increased regulatory alignment and support for producers to implement targeted grazing practices.
October 07, 2025 12:35 PM
·
Congress has just over a month of working days left for the year. Plan for uneven USDA service until funding is restored, and closely monitor Farm Bill talks, as avoiding Permanent Law before January 1 is the single biggest risk to markets and milk prices.
October 07, 2025 11:09 AM
·
Mexico’s tougher, two-step treatment and added checkpoints are catching cases before they can spread—good news for producers near the border.
October 07, 2025 10:55 AM
·
Focus on home radon testing—not changing your diet—because background sources vastly outweigh any exposure from naturally radioactive foods.
October 06, 2025 01:29 PM
·
Despite tariffs having a less significant impact on exports, corn producers struggle with tariff-related increases on inputs, which complicates their bottom line.
October 06, 2025 01:13 PM
·
Jack Daniel’s will end its Cow Feeder Program, which served around 100 livestock operations near the distillery, and redirect spent grains to its anaerobic digester.
October 06, 2025 12:33 PM
·
Prepare for acute UAN risk and a brief urea shock; maintain steady ammonia and phosphate plans, and monitor potash basis on the coasts.
October 06, 2025 11:56 AM
·
Dave Kestel, a farmer from Will County and member of the Illinois Farm Bureau, joins us to share a boots-on-the-ground update on the 2025 corn harvest.
October 03, 2025 02:30 PM
·
University of Illinois Ag Economist Gary Schnitker says early projections indicate soybeans will be more profitable than corn in 2026.
October 03, 2025 11:53 AM
·
