ANALYSIS: UK Beef Market Struggles with Tight Cattle Supply, Weak Demand, and Price Sensitivity

Cattle availability remains tight across the UK and Ireland, with slaughter numbers continuing to decline. Defra data shows a 4.9% year-on-year (YOY) reduction in GB prime cattle slaughter during the first half of 2025. Though cattle supplies remain constrained, subdued consumer demand has been the main driver for the bearish UK beef market lately. Market sources continued to highlight price stagnation in some beef cutouts due to weak sales.

The roasting beef prices have been declining in the past few months as it is...

ANALYSIS: Protein Production Outlook for Q3

The USDA is forecasting a mixed outlook for protein production in Q3, with significant declines expected in beef and turkey, while pork and broiler output remain steady or edge higher. Beef production is projected to fall sharply year-over-year (YOY), down 5.4% from 6.78 billion pounds in Q3 2024 to 6.42 billion pounds in Q3 2025. This reflects a tightening cattle supply pipeline, a trend that has persisted throughout much of the year and continues to pressure beef availability.

Turkey output is also forecast to contract, slipping 4.5% YOY to...

HHS Allows FDA Emergency Use of Animal Drugs to Combat New World Screwworm

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued a declaration allowing the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to grant Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) for drugs used to treat or prevent infestations caused by New World Screwworm in animals.

"Today we are taking decisive action to safeguard the nation’s food supply from this emerging threat,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “This authorization equips FDA to act quickly, limit the spread of New World Screwworm, and protect America’s...

NCBA Notches Legal Victory Protecting Cattle Producers from Overreaching Emissions Regulations

Last week, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) notched a legal victory in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia affirming protections for cattle farmers and ranchers from onerous and unnecessary air emissions reporting requirements. NCBA, along with a coalition of other livestock and farm groups, has engaged in this litigation for years to ensure that family farmers and ranchers were not forced to file complex, overreaching reports with the federal government about emissions under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) and Comprehensive...

China’s Australian Beef Safeguard Kicks in 75 Days Earlier This Year Following Record Exports

China’s imports of Australian beef have triggered the 2025 Special Agricultural Safeguard (SSG) as of July 24, according to the latest announcement posted on the China International Trade Single Window, a website led by China’s National Ports Administration Office. 

Despite the higher annual quota volume for this year, this means the safeguard quota was exhausted in 205 days, 75 days earlier than in 2024. The safeguard limit was activated last year on October 6.  

The China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) took effect in...

JBS Invests More Than US $7 Million in Traceability and Support for Small Producers in Pará

JBS has invested more than US$ 7 million in cattle traceability and support for small producers in Pará, as part of a pioneering state program that aims to trace the entire herd of cattle and buffaloes in the region by the end of 2026. The results of JBS's initiatives were presented during the "Expedition to the Sustainable Meat and Leather Market of Pará," an event promoted by the Nature Conservancy (TNC) Brazil.

The initiative is part of a broader collation involving...

ANALYSIS: Post-Suspension Outlook for Mexican Cattle Imports

The USDA’s announcement of a phased reopening of southern ports for livestock trade, effective as early as July 7, 2025, marks a significant moment for the Mexican export market for feeder cattle to the US, following a second suspension initiated in May 2025. This follows an initial suspension in November 2024, triggered by the detection of New World Screwworm (NWS) in southern Mexico, with trade resuming in February 2025 after a rigorous pre-clearance inspection protocol was established. The latest closure, driven by...

Statement on Recent Lumpy Skin Disease Outbreaks in Europe

The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) acknowledges the rapid official notifications of two outbreaks of Lumpy skin disease (LSD) in Italy and France, as well as the details provided through their follow up reports. This marks the first-ever occurrence of the disease in these countries, highlighting the urgent need for heightened surveillance and coordinated response. Both countries have reported that they are already implementing measures to contain the disease in line with international standards...

From 2016 to 2024, WOAH with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the European Union, supported the coordination of a standing group of expert for LSD...

Walmart Opens First Beef Facility in Kansas

Walmart announced on Friday it had opened its first-ever owned and operated, case-ready beef facility to serve mostly Midwest customers. The 300,000+ square-foot facility is in Olathe, Kansas and will have around 600 employees.

It is connected to a 2022 investment Walmart made in Sustainable Beef LLC to improved supply chain security for Angus beef. The new “facility will package and distribute Angus cuts sourced directly from Sustainable Beef LLC to stores across the Midwest,” Walmart said.

The investment is part of Walmart’s plans to invest $350 billion in U.S.-made products by 2031...

Cattle Farmers and Ranchers Join President Trump to Push for Tax Relief

Today, farmers and ranchers affiliated with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) joined President Donald J. Trump at the White House for an event rging Congress to pass the “One Big Beautiful Bill” and deliver tax relief.

Kevin Kester, a fifth-generation California rancher and NCBA Past-President, attended due to his personal experience with the Death Tax.

“It was an incredible honor to stand with President Trump and echo his message that America’s family farmers and ranchers need tax relief now,” said Kester. “When I was hit with the Death Tax 30 years ago, I couldn’t hire new employees, invest in equipment, or make improvements to the ranch. My family and I had to stretch every...

South Africa Begins Vaccinating Cattle as FMD Hits Four Provinces

South Africa has kicked off a national vaccination campaign against foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). The move comes after confirmed outbreaks in four provinces, the South African Ministry of Agriculture said on Monday.

Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen oversaw the rollout at Karan Beef’s Heidelberg feedlot. The facility, near Johannesburg in Gauteng Province, confirmed an outbreak earlier this month.

"The first batch of 900,000 vaccines arrived in South Africa last week, and we commenced with the vaccination over the weekend," Steenhuisen told reporters on-site...

Refreshed Website Offers New Biosecurity Resources

The Secure Beef Supply (SBS) website, www.securebeef.org, has been redesigned to better serve the growing number of users seeking new, updated and classic biosecurity resources.

“Producers can use these new Secure Beef Supply Plan resources to be proactive and customize their biosecurity strategies and plan before a disease outbreak – when time and resources are limited,” said NCBA’s Beef Cattle Specialist Veterinarian Julia Herman. “It’s a valuable addition to any risk management plan and should be developed in collaboration with veterinarians and other team members...

Bill Aims to Protect Texas Livestock from Screwworm Threat

A bill introduced in Congress aims to safeguard livestock and wildlife in Texas and the U.S. from the New World screwworm, a destructive pest that once devastated ranches across the southern U.S.

U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz (R-Texas) authored the New World Screwworm Preparedness Act to direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to conduct a comprehensive study on screwworm surveillance and prevention efforts. The bill also requires USDA to recommend improvements that would strengthen the nation’s ability to respond to a potential outbreak...

Cargill Seeks Full Ownership of Australian Beef Producer Teys

Australian Teys Investments and Cargill have announced on Thursday, Cargill, via a subsidiary, has agreed to increase its stake in Teys to 100%. This includes Teys Australia and Teys USA.

Teys is specialized in Australian beef to both the national and international market. Cargill has already held stake on Teys for the past 14 years, Teys said.

“The Teys family is immensely proud to have grown our business into a premier provider of beef to our customers and Australian families. Cargill has been instrumental in our transformation...

Argentina’s Meatpacker Lequio Group Acquires Mattievich

Lequio, a large Argentinian meatpacker, has announced the acquisition of 80% the meatpacker Mattievich Group, which it hopes to finalize by the end of June. Both firms are already working in the merging of operations, Lequio said.

“We bought 80% of shares, not all. The livestock operations were excluded,” Leonardo Lequio told Argentinian media.

After the acquisition is complete, Lequio will have increased its slaughtering capacity to “over 4,000 cattle head per day,” the firm said.

Lequio will acquire at least six of Mattievich Group facilities across Argenitina...