CHICAGO (RFD-TV) — Retail beef sales are holding steady, despite differences in consumer spending power. Analysts say that while some households are facing financial pressures, other consumers are helping to maintain overall demand.
Rich Nelson, chief strategist at Allendale Inc., notes this balance is likely to keep retail sales stable in the short term.
“We do have news that [retail sales] should be [stable],” he said. “We do have news that the lower third of consumers is struggling right now. However, we don’t really have that confirmed on the retail beef pushback yet. We’ve been speculating about this issue for two, if not three years. So far, the middle-class consumer and the higher-income consumer are making up for the concerns on the lower end here in the very short term.”
Nelson adds that cash cattle prices jumped $6 last week, but wholesale beef prices have dropped by $4 over the past few weeks, despite a rebound in cash cattle markets.
Bangladesh’s buying surge offers temporary relief for U.S. farmers facing weaker Chinese demand, highlighting how global politics can reshape export outlets overnight.
October 24, 2025 10:57 AM
·
Rising demand for Comfort Colors t-shirts reinforces the pull for U.S.-grown cotton, linking rural fiber production to a fast-growing mainstream apparel brand.
October 23, 2025 03:06 PM
·
American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) economist Bernt Nelson provides an updated outlook on the current U.S. cattle market.
October 23, 2025 02:20 PM
·
Record Australian exports and rising U.S. imports reflect continued tight domestic cattle supplies — a reminder that herd recovery remains key to balancing future beef prices.
October 23, 2025 11:56 AM
·
U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE) discusses the USDA’s new cattle plan, ethanol policy, and the broader challenges ahead for rural America.
October 23, 2025 11:24 AM
·
Australia’s expanding harvest and global oversupply are keeping wheat and barley prices capped, though canola markets may hold firmer on shifting oilseed demand.
October 23, 2025 10:17 AM
·
