Packers
Processing disruptions could impact cattle markets if the strike continues.
Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins surveys Nebraska wildfire damage as cattle losses, tight supplies, rising imports, and beef industry investigations impact U.S. markets. Roger McEowen outlines legal and tax considerations for ranchers recovering from wildfire damage.
As the strike at a JBS facility in Colorado continues, the National Right to Work Foundation is encouraging some employees to consider returning to work. The group says not all workers on strike may want to participate and urges those who choose to cross the picket line to resign from their union memberships.
Suderman joins Tony St. James in the RFD Studios to discuss how geopolitical tensions are triggering global transport disruptions, new inflation pressures, and other challenges for agriculture to navigate.
Jake Charleston of Specialty Risk Insurance offers his perspective on current cattle market conditions and shares advice for producers seeking to stay protected in an uncertain market.
Strike risk adds volatility to already tight markets.
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.
Analysts warn the closed U.S.-Mexico border is straining cattle supplies and packing capacity. StoneX and USDA data point to long-term industry shifts.
Tight cattle supplies favor poultry and pork while keeping beef margins under pressure.
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.