Livestock Producer Turnaround Cow/calf operators and hog feeders have seen a decrease in margins over the past three years, according to the latest data on national average operating costs. In 2014, the hog market was bullishly impacted by the shortages caused by Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus (PEDv), and cow culling pushed calf prices to record highs. As the saying goes, though, the best cure for high prices is high prices.
Herd expansion over the past few years and trade uncertainty in the pork market have pressured prices. However, things are looking up for 2019. It has been a wet year for cow-calf operators with lots of grass this spring. March calf prices were a bit below last year’s, but April prices are inching above year-...
What You Need to Know Today: Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva secured reelection on Sunday, defeating right-wing Senator Flávio Bolsonaro despite trailing in the first round of voting. The surprise victory triggered a sharp selloff in Brazilian financial market...
The 2026 midterm elections are a week from tomorrow, but early voting has been taking place for weeks. At stake is control of Congress, including the House of Representatives, where all 435 seats are contested, and the Senate, where approximately one-third of the seats are up for election. Farm...
Key Takeaways: Total U.S. crop acres (excluding hay) are forecast to expand fractionally this year due to greater oilseed crop and winter wheat plantings. One of the key drivers of this year’s crop outlook is input costs, and crops with a lower cost profile have an advantage in producers...