NASHVILLE, TENN. (RFD-TV) — Seasonal shifts and supply quirks are tugging wholesale food costs in different directions — easing some fresh categories while keeping key proteins choppy. For produce buyers, several salad-bar staples are cheaper, helping menus and retail ads, while a few holiday-leaning items are tightening.
Leafy items are split — romaine and green leaf up on Salinas disease pressure, but iceberg down on added Huron supply. Broccoli and cauliflower fell sharply as earlier highs cooled demand; tomatoes (rounds, romas, grapes) trended lower. Red bells firmed; cucumbers, celery, and green beans moved higher. Potatoes and onions were steady, primarily to mixed; pears eased while several apple varieties gained. Avocados were mixed; citrus leaned softer (limes, early navels, lemons).
Beef grinds continued higher; strips and tenderloins firmed with ribs starting a holiday climb, while briskets and many chucks softened. Pork was mixed — loins and butts easing, tenders rallying, bellies ticking up, hams slightly lower. Chicken saw jumbo breast up, wings flat, thighs down; turkey breasts edged higher. Seafood was steady to firm for domestic shrimp, while imported shrimp rose on tariffs; Alaska snow crab quota nearly doubled. Edible oils weakened (soy), canola held modestly firmer, and palm slid; sugar offers stayed firm despite multi-year lows in global futures. Butter prices fell; shell eggs rose on HPAI headlines.
Farm-Level Takeaway: Expect modest relief on several produce lines, mixed protein trends into holiday buying, and softer veg-oil costs — a good week to sharpen forward buys selectively.
Tony St. James, RFD-TV Markets Expert
Meat stocks rose seasonally but remain below last year overall, while tighter butter inventories could support dairy prices, and belly stocks warrant close watch for pork markets.
January 26, 2026 03:00 PM
·
Heavier weights and strong late-year slaughter supported December production, but lower annual totals highlight ongoing supply tightness heading into 2026.
January 26, 2026 11:19 AM
·
Rising import pressure and tougher export competition are likely to persist into 2026, supporting domestic supplies while capping export growth.
January 26, 2026 09:56 AM
·
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and Public Lands Council published a joint press release regarding the advancement of legislation to delist the Mexican Gray Wolf from the Endangered Species Act.
January 23, 2026 05:05 PM
Placements and marketings beat expectations, but declining on-feed totals and feeder constraints keep the supply story supportive for cattle prices into 2026. Dr. Derrell Peel, with Oklahoma State University, joined us to break down cattle-on-feed numbers and provide his broader market outlook.
January 23, 2026 04:40 PM
·
USDA Rural Development Director for Kentucky, Travis Burton, joined us to discuss the Princeton facility (formerly Porter Road Meats), now backed by the USDA, and its role in expanding domestic meat processing capacity.
January 23, 2026 03:39 PM
·
