The U.S. Department of Agriculture is updating its cash cattle market reports in an effort to increase transparency for ranchers and cattle producers. Recently, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced changes to USDA’s livestock mandatory reporting system as part of the administration’s efforts to support American ranchers and promote fair competition in livestock markets. USDA says negotiated cash cattle trade has declined dramatically over the last two decades, falling from more than 50 percent of transactions in 2005 to less than 18 percent in 2025, as formula-based purchasing has become more common.
Because cash trades help establish prices for many formula transactions, the decline has created reporting and confidentiality challenges that can limit the usefulness of market reports. To address the issue beginning October 26, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service will publish an additional regional cash cattle report that combines data from Colorado, Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Kansas. Officials say the change will provide cattle producers and other market participants with more meaningful price information while requiring no additional reporting from covered packers.
Audio Reporting by Elizabeth Sanders for Southeast AgNet.