According to data from USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), most cow-calf operations in the U.S. remain relatively small and have fewer than 50 cows. NASS says at the other end of the spectrum, only a few very large operations with more than 1,000 cows can be found. The data indicates that between 1997 and 2017, most cow-calf operations remained small. In …
Updated USDA Milk and Meat Production Forecasts
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has released the August numbers for milk and meat production along with new price forecasts. Rod Bain runs through the latest numbers. World Agricultural Outlook Board Chair Mark Jekanowski discusses some of the adjustments to livestock price projections made by USDA this month. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Offers Unique Opportunity For Applied ResearchOctober …
Alabama State Beef Checkoff Vote is Thursday
Coming up this Thursday, a big vote will be taking place for Alabama beef producers. Alabama Cattlemen’s Association (ACA) Executive Vice President, Erin Beasley, is encouraging producers across the state to get out and vote for the Alabama State Beef Checkoff. Click here to learn more about the Referendum. But that vote again will take place Thursday, August 24th. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board …
Cattle Producers Direct NCBA Action on Cell-Cultured Products
During the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s (NCBA’s) Summer Business Meeting in July, members did pass a directive to continue the association’s advocacy efforts on transparent labeling and inspection of cell-cultured protein products. NCBA President Todd Wilkinson talked about this during a recent Beltway Beef podcast. This directive was brought forward by the California Cattlemen’s Association, Florida Cattlemen’s Association and the Tennessee Cattlemen’s …
U.S. Cattle on Feed Down 2 Percent
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released their August 2023 Cattle on Feed Report which shows the number of cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the U.S. for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head was 11.0 million head on August 1, 2023. The inventory was 2 percent below August 1, 2022. And according to a report …
Dry Conditions across Major Growing Areas
Tropical activity in the western part of the U.S. is causing many issues there. But according to a story from Mark Oppold, much of the country will experience dry conditions again this week. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Offers Unique Opportunity For Applied ResearchOctober 24, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Plays Major Role in Applied Beef Cattle ResearchOctober 17, 2025FCEB Recurring …
Bill Introduced to Reinstate MCOOL
U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-SD) introduced the Beef Origin Labeling Accountability Act to bring clarity and to reinstate Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (MCOOL) for beef products. “Consumers don’t know where their beef comes from,” Johnson says. “It could be South Dakota, Brazil, or Canada. U.S. producers raise better beef, and they’re not getting credit for it.” The act will …
USDA FMMO Hearing is August 23
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) will be holding a hearing on August 23rd concerning the modernizing the Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) system. It reflects the comprehensive approach to improvement carefully crafted by the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF). “Dairy farmers nationwide are grateful that USDA is moving forward by including the full scope of NMPF’s proposal to guide the dairy industry forward as …
Tracking Cattle Futures
Today, Mark Oppold has an update on what we are seeing in cattle futures and what prices were paid at a recent cattle auction. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Offers Unique Opportunity For Applied ResearchOctober 24, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Plays Major Role in Applied Beef Cattle ResearchOctober 17, 2025FCEB Recurring Funding Provides Opportunity for Longer Term Research ProjectsOctober 10, …
Milk’s Lead is Widening Over Plant-based Beverages
According to new data, milk’s lead over plant-based beverages is widening in price, nutrition and consumption volume. During a recent interview with RFD-TV, National Milk Producers Federation’s (NMPF’s) Senior Vice President of Communications Alan Bjerga, discussed the shifting consumer preference toward milk over plant-based beverages. The NMPF recently submitted comments to the Food and Drug Administration’s plant-based beverage proposal. Bjerga noted how NMPF …