WLI

A surge in wholesale beef prices helped lift Live Cattle futures on Tuesday. They closed an average of $1.27 higher on strong volume (50¢ higher at the back to $2.30 higher near the front).

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of $2.22 higher ($1.65 higher at the back to $2.87 higher in spot Aug).

Choice boxed beef cutout value was $4.32 higher Tuesday afternoon at $306.10/cwt. Select was $1.87 higher at $279.60/cwt.

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade ranged from inactive on very light demand to a standstill through Tuesday afternoon, with too few transactions to trend, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.

Last week, live FOB prices were $178-$179/cwt. in the Southern Plains $186, in Nebraska, and $185-$186 in the western Corn Belt. Dressed delivered prices were $292-$295.

Corn futures eroded further Tuesday, closing 4¢ to 7¢ lower through Jly ‘24 and then mostly fractionally lower to 2¢ lower.

KC HRW Wheat closed 5¢ to 11¢ lower through Jly ‘24 and then mostly 1¢ higher.

Soybean futures closed mostly 5¢ to 10¢ higher.

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Major U.S. financial indices closed mixed Tuesday.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 71 points higher. The S&P 500 closed 12 points lower. The NASDAQ was down 62 points.

West Texas Intermediate Crude Oil futures (CME) closed 36¢ to 43¢ lower through the front six contracts.

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Agricultural producer sentiment improved slightly in July, according to the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer. It rose 2 points to a reading of 123. The Index of Current Conditions rose 5 points to a reading of 121, while the Index of Future Expectations was up 1 point to 124.

“Producers were slightly more confident about the farming economy in July, despite recent crop price volatility and continued concerns about rising interest rates,” says James Mintert, the barometer’s principal investigator and director of Purdue University’s Center for Commercial Agriculture.

Given the volatility in commodity prices, especially crop prices, this spring and early summer, Ag Barometer analysts say it’s notable that more producers expressed concern about rising interest rates than declining output prices. Producers’ top concern for their farming operations in the upcoming year is still higher input costs, followed by rising interest rates and lower output prices.

The Ag Economy Barometer is calculated each month from 400 U.S. agricultural producers’ responses to a telephone survey. This month’s survey was conducted between July 10-14.

Despite another day of lower Corn futures, Feeder Cattle futures paddle in place on Monday, closing an average of 33¢ lower, except for unchanged to an average of 12¢ higher in the front three contracts.

Softer cash fed cattle prices last week and continued erosion in open interest helped cap Live Cattle, which closed an average of 46¢ lower, from 7¢ to 70¢ lower.

Last week, FOB negotiated cash fed cattle were $1-$2 lower at $178-$179/cwt. in the Texas Panhandle on a light test. Likewise, prices were $1-$2 lower in Kansas at $178-$179 on a light test but with a few up to $185. Live-delivered prices in Kansas were $182.50 to $184. In Nebraska, FOB live trades were mostly $2 lower at mainly $186 on a light test, but a few up to $188.50. Live prices in the western Corn Belt were $1-$3 lower at 185-$187. Dressed delivered prices were steady to $3 lower in Nebraska at $292-$295 and steady to $1 lower in the western Corn belt at $294-$295.

Trade ranged from inactive on very light demand to a standstill through Monday afternoon, with too few transactions to trend, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.

The weighted average five-area direct fed steer price last week was $1.38 lower on a live basis at $184.81/cwt. The weighted average steer price in the beef was $1.09 lower at $293.63.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was 22¢ lower Monday afternoon at $301.78/cwt. Select was 19¢ higher at $277.73/cwt.

Significantly cooler and wetter weather forecasted for the Corn Belt pushed grain and Soybean futures sharply lower Monday.

Corn futures closed 15¢ to 17¢ lower through Jly ‘24 and then mostly 8¢ to 10¢ lower.

KC HRW Wheat closed 23¢ to 43¢ lower.

Soybean futures closed mostly 31¢ to 50¢ lower.

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Major U.S. financial indices eked out gains Monday as investors closed out the month and geared up for another week of quarterly earnings reports.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 100 points higher. The S&P 500 closed 6 points higher. The NASDAQ was up 29 points.

West Texas Intermediate Crude Oil futures (CME) closed 95¢ to $1.22 higher through the front six contracts.

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When national beef cow herd expansion finally begins, the dearth of heifers means rebuilding will likely be a slow process, according to Derrell Peel, Extension livestock marketing specialist at Oklahoma State University, in his weekly market comments.

“The previous record-high calf prices occurred after heifer retention was well underway and feeder cattle supplies were squeezed to their tightest levels. This process may begin in late 2023 but the tightest feeder supplies will not occur until 2024 at the earliest or possibly into 2025,” Peel says. “With the pipeline of beef replacement heifers and residual other heifers extremely low, heifer retention will likely begin mostly with heifer calves.”

Peel points out the inventory of calves weighing less than 500 pounds on July 1 was 26.3 million head, down 2.6% year over year, according to the semiannual USDA Cattle report. 

“Rapidly rising calf prices in 2023 have not yet provoked any heifer retention and herd rebuilding,” Peel says. “The beef replacement heifer inventory was 4.05 million head, down 2.4% from last year and is the lowest ever in the July Cattle report. Not only are replacement heifer inventories low, but the supply of other heifers that could be used for breeding is also low … The other heifer inventory includes heifers already in feedlots as well as heifers that are part of the estimated feeder supply. The July Cattle report showed an inventory of other heifers at 7.3 million head, down 5.2% year over year.”

Feedlots and packers continued their standoff on negotiated cash fed cattle trade, which remained largely undeveloped through Friday afternoon. Trade ranged from slow on light demand to a standstill, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service. There were a few FOB live sales in the western Corn Belt at $185-$186/cwt., but too few to trend.

Last week, live prices (FOB) were $180/cwt in the Southern Plains and $188 in Nebraska and the western Corn Belt, where dressed prices (FOB) were $295.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was 86¢ lower Friday afternoon at $302.00/cwt. Select was $2.22 lower at $277.54/cwt.

Further erosion in Corn futures helped Feeder Cattle futures close an average of 77¢ higher Friday.

Live Cattle futures closed narrowly mixed, from an average of 10¢ lower in the back three contracts to an average of 15¢ higher.

Corn futures continued to decline Friday, pressured by more favorable weather in the Corn Belt and less risk premium tied to Ukrainian grain shipments. They closed 11¢ to 12¢ lower through Jly ‘24 and then mostly 6¢ to 9¢ lower.

KC HRW Wheat closed 4¢ to 10¢ lower through Sep ‘24 and then mostly 2¢ lower.

Soybean futures closed mostly 8¢ to 15¢ lower through Jan ‘25 and then mostly 2¢ lower.

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Major U.S. financial indices closed higher Friday with another gauge of cooling inflation.

The Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index increased 0.2% month to month in June, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. That was in line with expectations. Core PCE, excluding food and energy was slightly less than expected year over year at 4.1%.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 176 points higher. The S&P 500 closed 44 points higher. The NASDAQ was up 266 points.

West Texas Intermediate Crude Oil futures (CME) closed 44¢ to 69¢ higher through the front six contracts.

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Estimated total cattle slaughter last week of 619,000 head was 5,000 head fewer than the previous week and 47,000 head fewer (-7.1%) than the same week last year. Year-to-date estimated total cattle slaughter of 18.7 million head was 751,000 head fewer (-3.9%) year over year. Estimated year-to-date beef production of 15.3 billion pounds was 773.8 million pounds less (-4.8% less) year over year.

“Most of the decline in beef production compared to a year ago stems from reduced beef cow slaughter, steer slaughter, and lighter slaughter weights,” says Andrew P. Griffith, agricultural economist at the University of Tennessee, in his weekly market comments. “Beef cow slaughter is down more than 12% while steer slaughter has declined close to 5%. Alternatively, dairy cow slaughter has increased nearly 6% compared to a year ago due to declining milk prices.”

Griffith points out heifer slaughter is less 1% lower year over year, further affirming that fact that heifer retention has yet to begin.

“All of these points should support beef prices remaining elevated in the near term and in the longer term,” Griffith explains. “It will be interesting to see how imports are adjusting to meet the demand for lean grinding beef, given the production decline domestically. Export data will also help solidify the beef availability picture.”

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade remained undeveloped through Thursday afternoon. There were a few FOB live sales in the western Corn Belt at $186/cwt., but too few to trend, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.

Last week, live prices (FOB) were $180/cwt in the Southern Plains and $188 in Nebraska and the western Corn Belt, where dressed prices (FOB) were $295.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was 48¢ lower Thursday afternoon at $302.86/cwt. Select was 5¢ lower at $279.76/cwt.

Net U.S. beef export sales of 21,400 metric tons (2023) for the week ending July 20 were 2% more than the previous week and 43% more than the prior four-week average. Increases were primarily for South Korea, Japan, China, and Canada.

Eroding front-month Corn futures supported Feeder Cattle futures again on Thursday. They closed an average of 54¢ higher, except for an average of 7¢ lower in two contracts.

Live Cattle futures closed an average of 31¢ lower, except for an average of 13¢ higher in two contracts.

Corn futures closed 4¢ to 7¢ lower through Jly ‘24 and then mostly 1¢ to 2¢ higher.

KC HRW Wheat closed fractionally mixed to 1¢ higher through Sep ’24 and then 3¢ to 6¢ lower.

Soybean futures closed 12¢ to 22¢ lower.

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Major U.S. financial indices closed lower Thursday despite frothier second-quarter domestic economic growth than expected.

Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 2.4% in the second quarter of this year, according to the advance estimate from the U.S. Department of Commerce. Real GDP in the first quarter was 2.0%. Gains in the second quarter primarily reflected increases in consumer spending and business investment.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 237 points lower. The S&P 500 closed 29 points lower. The NASDAQ was down 77 points.

West Texas Intermediate Crude Oil futures (CME) closed $1.05 to $1.31 higher through the front six contracts.

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Members of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) passed a directive earlier this week to continue the organization’s advocacy efforts for transparent labeling and inspection of cell-cultured protein products.

“Cattle producers are not afraid of a little competition, and I know that consumers will continue choosing real high-quality beef over cell-cultured imitations,” says NCBA President Todd Wilkinson, a South Dakota cattle producer. “Our priority is ensuring that consumers accurately know the difference between real beef and cell-cultured products through transparent and accurate labeling. We have already been successful at engaging the U.S. Department of Agriculture to conduct robust inspections and oversight to protect food safety.”

Earlier this year, USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) issued two grants of inspection to companies producing cell-cultured chicken imitation products. These grants of inspection permit companies producing cell-cultured products to sell their products in interstate commerce. While no cell-cultured imitations of beef have received a grant of inspection, several companies are attempting to create them.

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of 88¢ higher Wednesday, supported by lower Corn futures.

Live Cattle futures closed narrowly mixed, from an average of 16¢ lower to an average of 33¢ higher.

Sharp volatility continued in grain futures, Wednesday, with traders apparently retrieving a chunk of recent risk premiums.

Corn futures closed 13¢ to 17¢ lower through Jly ‘24 and then 4¢ to 9¢ lower.

KC HRW Wheat closed 18¢ to 47¢ lower.

Soybean futures closed 1¢ to 2¢ lower, except for 30¢ and 18¢ higher in the front two contracts.

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade ranged from inactive on very light demand to a standstill through Wednesday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.

Last week, live prices (FOB) live prices were $180/cwt in the Southern Plains and $188 in Nebraska and the western Corn Belt, where dressed prices (FOB) were $295.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was 88¢ lower Wednesday afternoon at $303.34/cwt. Select was $2.26 higher at $279.81/cwt.

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Major U.S. financial indices were mixed and little changed Wednesday, as the Fed interest rate hike (0.25%) was widely expected.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 82 points higher. The S&P 500 closed fractionally lower. The NASDAQ was down 17 points.

West Texas Intermediate Crude Oil futures (CME) closed 57¢ to 85¢ lower through the front six contracts.

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Frozen beef supplies continue to decline year over year, according to the latest USDA Cold Storage report.

Total pounds of beef in freezers June 30 were 3% less than the previous month and 20% less than last year.

Frozen pork supplies were down 8% from the previous month and down 9% from the previous year.

Total red meat supplies in freezers were down 6% from the previous month and down 14% from last year.

Total frozen poultry supplies were 5% more than the previous month and 10% more than a year earlier.