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.
No, it is not some new college course — Clemson has been making blue cheese since 1941, and the product has developed a worldwide following and won some pretty big awards. With good reason — it is fantastic stuff. It is also fascinating to see how it is made. Check out this sneak peek look at the latest episode of Where the Food Comes From, “Clemson Blue.”
October 24, 2023 11:32 AM
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The machines do all the work at Hickory Hill Milk in South Carolina, and the pampered cows get on-demand service. The team at Where the Food Comes From shares a special, behind-the-scenes account filming the show’s newest episode, Robot Dairy, premiering this Friday, Oct. 20, 2023, at 9:30 p.m. ET on RFD-TV!
October 19, 2023 09:00 AM
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How does a robot milk a cow?
October 18, 2023 09:00 AM
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The machines do all the work at Hickory Hill Milk in South Carolina, where the pampered cows get on-demand service. They make a premium cream line of milk you still have to shake. It is so good it is used to make the world-famous Clemson blue cheese.
October 17, 2023 01:55 PM
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Today’s blog post by RFD-TV Agri-Legal Expert Roger McEowen takes a look at the “preferential payment rule,” a unique bankruptcy provision that can come as a suprise to farmers in financial distress.
October 13, 2023 10:54 AM
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Now that Washington lawmakers have passed a 45-day stopgap, they have some breathing room to work through some hot-button topics like the high cost of the upcoming Farm Bill, which is due in large part to the funding necessary to support the Nutrition Title.
October 03, 2023 11:08 AM
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Seven out of the eight major fertilizers saw recent price decreases. However, one key type of fertilizer bucked the overall trend with an 11-percent rise.
September 21, 2023 11:02 AM
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Egg prices have been on a roller coaster this year, soaring sky-high and falling back down to Earth in just a few months.
September 19, 2023 12:41 PM
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September 14, 2023 12:52 PM
