NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RFD-TV) — Pricing signals only work when they reflect what packers can actually sell, yet today’s yield grade was built for 1960s cattle—not the heavier, trimmer animals modern genetics produce.
Dr. Jessica Lancaster of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, says the industry’s Red Meat Yield Round Table is addressing the gap to ensure producers are accurately paid for their true, saleable yield.
The current U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) yield grade equation often explains less than half of the real variation in red meat yield, which means premiums and discounts can miss the mark.
New tools can fix it: 3D imaging has shown it can account for over 90 percent of saleable yield, CT scans measure carcass composition with near-lab accuracy, and even radar shows promise for predicting yield in live cattle.
Updating yield assessment to incorporate these technologies would align prices with product, reward efficient cattle, and advance the Beef Industry Long Range Plan into 2026–2030.
Farm-Level Takeaway: Better yield measurement means fairer grids, more precise breeding targets, and more dollars for truly efficient cattle.
A look at the legislative year ahead as lawmakers return to Washington with a slate of trade concerns to tackle in 2026—from new Chinese tariffs on beef imports to the USMCA review this summer.
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Shaun Haney, Host of
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