The size of the U.S. herd was a subject during a rare weekend Congressional hearing. The House Ways and Means Committee was in California, where a former NCBA president set the record straight on consumer prices.
“I’d like just to say real quickly for high retail beef prices, it has nothing to do with tariffs, it’s simply a supply and demand issue. We have the lowest beef herd since 1961 here in the U.S. Consumer demand even at the high retail prices, U.S. consumer demand hasn’t dropped one iota to my happy surprise, and it’s because of the quality of beef here in the U.S., so it’s not related to tariffs or anything else, it’s simple supply and demand and and we just need to grow our beef for a little bit more,” said Kevin Kester, NCBA Past President & California rancher.
The newly reinstated July inventory report offered little hope that it will happen anytime soon. It shows a downward trend all across the board. All cattle and calves are down one percent. Steers are also down, dropping one percent on the year.
The number of cattle was also in the red. Inventory is down two percent on the year. Steers and steer calf numbers gained a percent during the same time. The number of heifers and heifer calves fell five percent from last year with placements down eight percent.
Key signs of the U.S. beef herd’s recovery are improved pasture conditions, lower feed costs, and increased regulatory alignment and support for producers to implement targeted grazing practices.
October 07, 2025 12:35 PM
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Congress has just over a month of working days left for the year. Plan for uneven USDA service until funding is restored, and closely monitor Farm Bill talks, as avoiding Permanent Law before January 1 is the single biggest risk to markets and milk prices.
October 07, 2025 11:09 AM
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Mexico’s tougher, two-step treatment and added checkpoints are catching cases before they can spread—good news for producers near the border.
October 07, 2025 10:55 AM
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Jack Daniel’s will end its Cow Feeder Program, which served around 100 livestock operations near the distillery, and redirect spent grains to its anaerobic digester.
October 06, 2025 12:33 PM
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Beef demand could be influencing other economic sectors, as consumers adjust spending habits to prioritize higher-priced beef products.
October 02, 2025 01:39 PM
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FarmHER Laura Adams raises cattle in Georgia, overcoming family tragedy with the help of Farm Dog of the Year, Skippy.
October 01, 2025 11:15 AM
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October 01, 2025 10:02 AM
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Alan Bjerga, with the National Milk Producers Federation, joined us on Tuesday from Wisconsin with his Dairy Industry Outlook.
September 30, 2025 01:27 PM
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The USDA’s August Cold Storage report shows shifting stock levels across major dairy, meat, and poultry products.
September 29, 2025 06:21 PM
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