Predictions are for cash cattle receipts to decline this year. Rusty Halvorson has the story.
According to USDA’s February Farm Income Forecast, cash receipts for cattle are expected to decline in 2025. As USDA Chief Economist Seth Meyer notes.
“It is the first decline in cattle and calves in this forecast in the last several years as we’ve seen some record high cattle and calf prices.”
That projected 3% decline in cattle cash receipts for this year comes with a caveat.
“This is before we opened up live animal trade again with Mexico over New World Screwworm. So, there may be a little adjustment as we go forward in that in terms of bringing in feeders, adding value to them, and selling them. There may be a little bit of a change in that.”
The early February announcement by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service applies to cattle and bison imports from Mexico – once a comprehensive pre-clearance inspection and treatment protocol is instituted by both nations.
Cattle and bison will be inspected and treated for screwworm by trained and authorized veterinarians prior to entering the pre-export inspection pens, where they will again undergo inspection by Mexican officials before proceeding to final APHIS inspection.
Cattle and bison approved for importation will also be dipped in a solution to ensure they are otherwise insect- and tick -free.