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2 months ago | 
farmprogress.com | David Anderson |Derrell S. Peel
*This is the tenth article in our 2025 Southwest Economic Outlook series. Oklahoma State University and OSU Extension Service, and Texas A&M University and TAMU AgriLife Extension Service economists weigh in on the 2025 outlook. A digital copy of the Economic Outlook Issue is also available online. The past year began with low prices, continuing the financial problems for dairy farmers from 2023. But price recovery by mid-year spurred profits and milking herd growth.
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Jan 23, 2025 | 
farmprogress.com | Derrell S. Peel |David Anderson
*This is the sixth article in our 2025 Southwest Economic Outlook series. Oklahoma State University and OSU Extension Service, and Texas A&M University and TAMU AgriLife Extension Service economists weigh in on the 2025 outlook. A digital copy of the Economic Outlook Issue is also available online. Cattle prices continued to advance in 2024, with feeder and fed cattle prices strengthening in the year's final weeks. On Jan. 1, 2024, the U.S. had the smallest cattle industry in decades.
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Dec 5, 2024 | 
farmprogress.com | David Anderson
Calf and feeder cattle prices have jumped higher over the last few weeks. Several factors are working together to boost prices including rain, fewer calves for sale, and maybe even the impact of import restrictions on Mexican cattle due to screwworm regulations. Calf marketLighter weight, 400-500 pound, calf prices have jumped about $30 per cwt in the Southern Plains over the last month.
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Jul 5, 2024 | 
farmprogress.com | David Anderson
The fed cattle market hit some new record highs last week with fed steers pushing $200 per cwt in Northern Plains markets. The weekly average fed steer price for the week ending June 30th was $198.09 per cwt (hundredweight). This price represented a negotiated, live, weighted average price across quality grades. Last week, the comparable price in the Texas-Oklahoma market was lower at $190.19 per cwt.
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Jun 4, 2024 | 
farmprogress.com | David Anderson
USDA released their May cattle on feed report on Friday, May 24th. For the first time in eight months the total number of cattle on feed declined below last year’s level. The 11.5 million cattle on feed were the fewest since September 2023. The number of cattle in feedlots has been pumped up by placing more heifers, some pulling of feeder cattle ahead, and a few more cattle from Mexico compared to the year before.
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Mar 14, 2024 | 
farmprogress.com | David Anderson
Cull cow prices have surged in recent weeks, along with calf and feeder prices. Southern Plains auction prices for 85-90 percent lean cows jumped from $85 per cwt to $105 per cwt over the last two weeks. National average cutter quality cows hovered around $100 per cwt. Cull cow prices tend to increase seasonally until about May-June. Higher prices are normally supported by seasonally declining cow slaughter into early summer and grilling season demand for ground beef.
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Jan 30, 2024 | 
farmprogress.com | Tom Bechman |Elizabeth Hodges |Blair Fannin |David Anderson
Drought continues to linger in patches of the state, but Texas agricultural producers face much better cropping outlooks going into spring, according to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service experts. AgriLife Extension agronomists Jourdan Bell, Amarillo; Reagan Noland, San Angelo; and Ronnie Schnell, Bryan-College Station, agreed that soil moisture conditions have improved compared to last year.
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Jan 30, 2024 | 
farmprogress.com | Tom Bechman |Elizabeth Hodges |Blair Fannin |David Anderson
I speak to many groups about farmland. Each time, I am asked about what drives the land market. Many underlying factors can impact land values between areas, including special uses and development factors. In rural areas, I tend to focus on five primary drivers:In each instance, both the current level and any recent direction of movement for the factor can matter. For the next several months in this column, I will comment more directly on each of these factors.
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Jan 30, 2024 | 
farmprogress.com | Tom Bechman |Elizabeth Hodges |Blair Fannin |David Anderson
This is an ongoing series on policy proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to bring its ESA-FIFRA process into compliance. In the U.S., there are more than 17,000 registered pesticide products containing more than 1,200 active ingredients, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for evaluating and regulating these products to protect the people and environment from associated health risks.
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Jan 30, 2024 | 
farmprogress.com | Tom Bechman |Elizabeth Hodges |Blair Fannin |David Anderson
Missouri 4-H and FFA livestock exhibitors will need to pluck a few hairs from their animals before entering the state fair competition this year. The Missouri State Fair announced changes to its DNA-testing methods for market animals, doing away with nose prints and blood samples and turning to hair follicle analysis. DNA collection allows the state fair to match the market animal with the exhibitor, a proof of ownership to ensure a level of trust in the competition process.
