U.S. beef exports trended slightly lower in volume but posted excellent results in terms of value, according to statistics released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF)....More

Cattle futures rose this week on speculation that U.S. beef demand will rebound. Hog prices also advanced....More

The US/Korean Free Trade Agreement (KORUS) took effect March 15 and kicks off a 15-year phase out of duties on U.S. beef that will decrease the current 40% tariff bite by 2.67 % annually and eventually arrive at zero in 2027. Beef-export competitor Australia is hoping to arrive at a similar agreement with South Korea but that prospect is at least a year off, an Australian expert says. And, even with a successful negotiation,Australian beef products likely face at least a 15-year disadvantage to U.S. beef products in the South Korean market....More

While the recent debacle over lean finely textured beef hasn’t significantly affected fed cattle prices, Southern Plains feedyards are concerned the long-term fallout could hurt both consumers and cattle feeders. Beef prices could go up and the value of beef carcasses could go down if the issue turns into a long-term market mover. While prices are their immediate concern, what has feedyard managers most perplexed is how the popular media can malign a completely safe product and what may be next in their sights....More

Overall, feeder and stocker cattle trended mostly steady to $4 higher, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). Analysts at AMS say the exceptions included steady money to $3 lower for yearling feeders weighing more than 850 lbs., as well as prices $4-$8 higher for lightweight stockers located near the vast grazing regions in the Central U.S....More

Recently, the economy has taken a punch at workers in every field, especially beef cattle producers. James B. Neel, University of Tennessee Extension professor of animal science and beef cattle specialist, explains what cow-calf producers need to do to stay out of the red....More

Fifteen representatives of U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) member organizations received an in-depth look at the red meat industry in South Korea, China and Hong Kong last week as part of the 2012 USMEF Market Education Program. Participants came from the United Soybean Board, the National Pork Board and pork, beef, corn and soybean producer organizations from Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and Nebraska....More

U.S. retail food prices rose faster than the general inflation rate in 2011 and are projected to do so again in 2012, says USDA in its recently released USDA Agricultural Projections to 2021. These baseline projections offer a glimpse into what is likely to happen to the prices we pay at the supermarket....More

The region of Central and South America typically doesn’t make headlines for beef imports, as most people think first of Brazil as a beef export powerhouse along with Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay. But other countries in the region are quietly showing the kind of potential that excites U.S. exporters who are able to provide a year-round supply of high-quality, affordable, grain-fed beef....More