Australian Beef Industry Sets Global Benchmark in Sustainability Performance

The Australian beef industry has released its 2025 Annual Update under the Australian Beef Sustainability Framework (ABSF), showcasing record-breaking environmental achievements, strengthened market access, and a clear roadmap for future sustainability leadership.
 
Since 2005, the industry has reduced net CO₂-e emissions by 70.1%, largely driven by carbon sequestration in the landscape on grazing land. 
 
Beef production reached an all-time high of 2.75 million tonnes, achieved with improved efficiency and reduced waste.
 
Solid waste to landfill in the processing sector fell by 71.6% between...

ANALYSIS: US Cattle Grading Prime at Unprecedented Levels

Cattle grading Prime this year has been at high levels compared to historical data dating back to 1996 and currently are at record levels for this time of year. While genetics play a role in this improvement, another factor driving higher grading percentages is that producers are holding onto their cattle longer. With market prices at favorable levels, producers are incentivized to add more weight to their animals before marketing them...

CME Feeder Cattle Plunge Further, Hit Expanded Daily Limits

The cattle complex on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange is deepening its steep losses in early Monday trading, extending Friday’s sharp sell-off that saw all but the nearby live cattle contract end at limit-down.

As of 9:50 a.m. ET, live cattle futures are sliding between $4.00 and $7.70, while most feeder contracts are hitting the expanded daily limit.

Both live ($10.75) and feeder cattle ($13.75) futures will trade under expanded limits today.

The recent downturn likely reflects long liquidation across both live and feeder futures markets as traders digest a range of developments, including the Trump administration’s plan to increase imports...

USMEF Statement on USTR's Announcement of Trade Deals with Southeast Asian Countries

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced agreements on reciprocal trade with Malaysia and Cambodia and frameworks for agreements on reciprocal trade with Thailand and Vietnam.

U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) President and CEO Dan Halstrom issued this statement:

USMEF greatly appreciates USTR’s tireless efforts to address both tariff and non-tariff barriers that have kept the U.S. as a minor supplier of red meat to the ASEAN region. With the U.S. beef industry currently lacking access to China, improved access to Southeast Asia is desperately needed to provide...

Secretary Rollins Announces Plan for American Ranchers and Consumers

Today, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Small Business Administrator Kelly Loeffler announced a suite of actions to strengthen the American beef industry, reinforcing and prioritizing the American rancher’s critical role in the national security of the United States. Since 2017, the United States has lost over 17% of family farms, more than 100,000 operations over the last decade. The national herd is at a 75-year low while consumer...

AFBF Cautions Against Disrupting Fragile US Beef Supply

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented today on the future of America’s beef supply.

“Farm families are no different from other American families. We feel the impact of higher grocery costs, but don’t get to set the prices. Meanwhile, farmers are suffering through an economic storm – expenses remain high, and cattle farms have been decimated by years of low prices, drought and the threat of the New World screwworm. They are just beginning to experience a fragile recovery...

President Trump Undercuts America’s Cattle Producers

In a misguided effort to lower the price of beef in grocery stores, President Trump said he plans to increase the volume of beef being imported from Argentina. Efforts to manipulate markets only risk damaging the livelihoods of American cattlemen and women, while doing little to impact the price consumers are paying at the grocery store.

“The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and its members cannot stand behind the President while he undercuts the future of family farmers and ranchers by importing Argentinian beef in an attempt to influence prices,” said NCBA CEO Colin Woodall...

Senate Agriculture Committee Advances Key Wildfire Bill

Today, the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee advanced the bipartisan and bicameral Fix Our Forests Act (FOFA) out of committee. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and Public Lands Council (PLC) support full Senate passage of this legislation that directs federal agencies to expand the use of livestock grazing to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire across the West.

“The established science is clear: grazing can reduce wildfire risk by up to 80 percent. Given the widespread risk of catastrophic wildfire, the federal government must better utilize grazing to combat the...

ANALYSIS: Record US Calf Weights Reflect Smaller Herds

Federally inspected live calf weights have reached record highs in 2025, averaging above 350 pounds through much of the spring and summer period, well above the three-year seasonal average near 290 pounds. The increase reflects producers feeding calves to heavier weights in response to tighter calf supplies and smaller national inventories. Throughout 2025, live weights have consistently tracked above previous years, with the sharpest divergence noted from March through August. This year’s weights have remained elevated even as temperatures moderate, suggesting continued efforts to maximize carcass yield and offset reduced slaughter...

USDA Shares New World Screwworm Response Playbook

The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is announcing the availability of the New World Screwworm (NWS) Response Playbook. The playbook outlines key approaches, resources, and tools to implement animal health response activities in the event of a U.S. detection of NWS. 

“USDA continues to execute our five-pronged plan to keep NWS out of the United States,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins. “While we continue to aggressively protect the U.S. border and are working with Mexico to stop the pest from continuing to spread further north, we also have to ensure our domestic response plans are ready to activate if needed...

ANALYSIS: A 2021 Pattern Emerges for the US Choice Cutout in 2025

Since June, Expana's Choice cutout has shown decreases of 8–10% and gains of 9–13%. The last time values fluctuated this much during the same time frame was in 2021, when they declined by roughly 16% and increased by 25%. While the swings in 2021 were more volatile, the overall pattern remains similar, even when comparing data going back to January. In 2021, there was about a 55% uptick from January to June, whereas in 2025, the same period saw a 24% rise. Again, although the degree of volatility differs, the pattern is comparable.

Current sentiment around the cutout points to steadiness with slightly...

FDA Conditionally Approves First Drug for Prevention and Treatment of New World Screwworm 

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration conditionally approved Dectomax-CA1 (doramectin injection) injectable solution for the prevention and treatment of New World screwworm larval infestations, and prevention of NWS reinfestation for 21 days. Dectomax-CA1 is conditionally approved for use only in cattle. 

“We understand the urgency with which America’s farmers and ranchers are asking for tools to fight New World screwworm,” said FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, M.D., M.P.H. “Today’s conditional approval – the first in the U.S. for NWS – shows our dedication to rapidly advancing important animal medicines when they are needed most. We...

ANALYSIS: Argentina’s Beef Exports Rose 11.2% M-O-M in August to 70,854 mt

Argentina’s beef exports increase for the fifth consecutive month, up 11.2% month-over-month (M-O-M) to 70,854 metric tons (mt) in August, according to the latest data released by the National Institute of Statistics and Census. On a year-over-year (Y-O-Y) basis, this represents a slight 1.1% gain compared to the same period in 2024.

China remained by far the main destination for Argentina’s beef, representing 72.2% of total exports in August, reaching 51,177 mt. This is 12.1% higher than July’s figure and accounts for a marginal 0.7% increase Y-O-Y. On a year-to-date basis, China’s share of Argentina’s beef exports now stands at 69.9%, totaling...

New USDA Export Plan: Red Meat and Poultry Via Rail to Mexico; Screwworm Case Contained

As of September 18, a new, collaborative plan to export US red meat and poultry to the Mexican market via rail gained support from the USDA FSIS. 

"Through this innovative partnership, inspection personnel from Mexico’s National Service of Agri-Food, Health, Safety and Quality (SENASICA) will be inspecting at participating federally inspected establishments to reinspect and clear for export eligible US meat and poultry shipments at the point of origin. This process will eliminate the need for routine border inspections by Mexican officials..."

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...