Packers
The closure of Lubbock Feeders highlights mounting pressure on the U.S. cattle supply, according to the Texas Cattle Feeders Association, as border restrictions and costs strain feedyards.
Policies aimed at ground beef prices may primarily reshape dairy incentives rather than deliver lasting consumer savings.
Even small declines in the calf crop translate into sustained supply pressure, supporting cattle prices over multiple years.
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.
From meatpacking settlements to landmark NEPA rulings, Roger McEowen outlines the top legal developments in 2025 that will shape agriculture in the years ahead.
Despite rising costs and growing food insecurity, meat demand remained strong in 2025 as higher-income consumers offset cutbacks elsewhere. Economists break down the K-shaped economy, upcoming USDA cattle reports, livestock production outlooks, and renewed debate over beef imports and country-of-origin labeling heading into 2026.
From “right to repair” to investigations into the “Big Four” meatpackers, antitrust issues were a major legal topic in 2025 and promise to have a long-term impact on the agriculture industry in the future.
Structural efficiency supports cattle prices and resilience — breaking it risks higher costs and greater volatility.
Protein markets are fragmenting. Beef is supply-driven and more structurally expensive, whereas pork and poultry remain price-competitive.
Tight fed supplies shift margin risk to packers, strengthening cattle price leverage but increasing volatility.