Livestock
Producers across the country spent the week balancing spring planning with tight margins and uneven moisture outlooks. Input purchasing stayed cautious, while marketing and cash-flow decisions remained front and center for many operations.
Concerns over Chronic Wasting Disease are fueling a long-standing legal battle between Minnesota regulators and deer farmers. The case could soon reach the state’s Supreme Court with broader implications for agriculture.
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and Public Lands Council (PLC) are praising the passage of a bill to delist gray wolves as an endangered species by the U.S. House last week.
Recent USDA export sales data show China has been active in the U.S. market, but analysts tell RFD-TV News that the timing is a key clue.
In Minnesota, a legal and legislative battle has reached a tipping point. For over a decade, the state’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the private deer-farming industry have been locked in a dispute over the management of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).
Tight feeder supplies and lower placements indicate continued support for the cattle market, with regional impacts heightened in Texas by reduced feeder imports.
Cattle markets are watching the Cattle-on-Feed Report for signs of tighter supplies, while USMEF warns limited China access is cutting producer profits.
Lower milk prices may pressure margins, but strong cattle values could soften near-term financial impacts.
The Pet and Livestock Protection Act now moves to the Senate for consideration.
Analysts say that while low-income households are facing financial pressures, other middle- and higher-income consumers are helping fill the gap for retail beef demand.
Tim and Sharyn Abbott of the Music City Celebration Sale recap the weekend’s premier auction, which drew top dairy breeders and buyers to Nashville again this year from across North America.
The bill to once again allow schools to offer whole milk and 2% milk will now go to President Trump for approval.
Frigid winter weather and rapid temperature swings have cattle markets watching closely for livestock stress, as analysts say fluctuations pose the greatest risk.
Freight Softens as Producers Plan 2026 Budgets Nationwide
CoBank’s 2026 Year Ahead Report cites global grain oversupply, easing inflation, rate cuts, and major data center growth that could reshape rural America.
Plan for sharp, short-term volatility after unexpected outages; permanent closures rarely trigger major price spread disruptions.
Cattle: Beef & Dairy
Secretary Rollins is signaling a possible reopening of the southern border to Mexican feeder cattle as officials work to manage the threat of the New World Screwworm.
Education efforts give visitors a closer look at dairy farming at the Rodeo Austin Livestock Show with the help of a cute cow named Lucy.
Building on the USDA’s recently released Grazing Action Plan, the agreement formalizes collaboration between the USDA, Forest Service, and Bureau of Land Management to ensure more efficient, transparent, and responsive grazing management across federal lands.
Pork
USMEF’s Jay Theiler discusses his leadership role in representing U.S. beef and pork and provides an update on this week’s conference in Indianapolis.
Manure from a hog farm is more than just waste; it is also becoming a key renewable resource for operations.
USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom shares how recent trade talks are influencing U.S. red meat global sales and the importance of key trade agreements like the USMCA.
Poultry
Approximately 42,000 birds were affected in the outbreak, officials said.
AFBF Economist Bearnt Nelson joins us with insights into current turkey flock sizes, HPAI concerns, and production impacts on holiday demand.
Taiwan’s pledge to expand imports strengthens export prospects for U.S. row crops, livestock products, and specialty commodities, while the USDA’s broader trade push seeks to diversify farm markets globally.
Sheep, Goats & Lamb
David Fisher with the American Lamb Board joined us to discuss a new sustainability program designed to boost producer profitability while supporting stewardship practices.
March 15 of each year is the application deadline for the Pima Cotton Trust, and March 1 of each year is the application deadline for the Wool Trust. The law mandates trust payments by April 15. More information about these programs is available at www.fas.usda.gov/programs.
