WLI

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade continued on Thursday. For the week, live sales are $2-$4 higher than last week at $103.00-$103.50/cwt. in the Southern Plains, $103 in Nebraska and $104-$105 in the western Corn Belt. Dressed trade is $1-$3 higher at $162-$163.

Even so, Cattle futures closed mostly lower Thursday, with pressure from the grain side of the ledger, as well as demand wonderments.

Except for 5¢ higher to 82¢ higher in three contracts, Live Cattle futures closed an average of 38¢ lower.

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of 77¢ lower (32¢ to $1.32 lower).

Choice boxed beef cutout value was 33¢ lower Thursday afternoon at $215.05/cwt. Select was $1.12 lower at $203.39.

Actual fed cattle slaughter for the week ending Sept. 5 of 508,955 head was 18,484 head fewer than the prior week, but 58,883 head more than the previous year, according to USDA’s Actual Slaughter Under Federal Inspection report.

Total cattle slaughter for the week of 635,387 head was 18,353 head fewer than the prior week, but 64,324 head more than the previous year.

The average dressed steer weight of 918 lbs. was 2 lbs. heavier than the previous week, but 25 lbs. more than the same week a year earlier. The average dressed heifer weight of 832 lbs. was 2 lbs. lighter than the previous week, but 17 lbs. more than a year earlier.

Net U.S. beef export sales for 2020 of 14,300 metric tons (mt) were 8% less than the previous week and 2% less than the prior four-week average, according to the Weekly Export Sales report from USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service, for the week ending Sept. 10. Increases were primarily for South Korea, Japan, China, Mexico and Canada. 

Net U.S. pork sales for 2020 of 50,600 mt were 68% more than the previous week and 41% more than the prior four-week average. Increases were primarily for China, Mexico, Japan, Canada and Australia.

Corn futures closed 2¢ to 3¢ higher through Jly ’21 and then mostly fractionally higher. 

Soybean futures closed 9¢ to 17¢ higher through Mar ’21 and then mostly 1¢ to 4¢ higher.

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Major U.S. financial indices closed lower on Thursday, pressured by big tech stocks, as well as uncertainty over the next round of federal pandemic economic stimulus.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 130 points lower. The S&P 500 closed 28 points lower. The NASDAQ closed 140 points lower.

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“The reduction in slaughter capacity in the second quarter continues to show up in the year-over-year higher number of cattle on feed over 150 days (although diminishing since June) and in the carcass weights of steers and heifers,” say analysts with USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS), in the latest monthly Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook. “The improved pace of slaughter, combined with an ample supply of fed cattle at heavier weights, led to higher expected beef production in third-quarter 2020 relative to 2019, which is likely putting pressure on cattle prices.”

ERS projects the average five-area direct Choice fed steer price at $101/cwt. for the third quarter, $104 for the fourth quarter and at $107.30 for the annual average, the same as the previous month.

Heading into 2021, however, ERS forecast average Choice steer prices $2 higher than the previous month’s estimate at $107 in the first and second quarters of next year with an annual average price of $112.

That’s based on expectations that a larger proportion of available feeder cattle supplies available July 1 were placed on feed, which will limit supplies available for placement in the first half of next year.

“This pulls feedlot marketings, and consequently steer and heifer slaughter, forward from the latter quarters of 2021,” say ERS analysts. “With fewer steers and heifers in the slaughter mix and higher forecast feed costs affecting the length of time on feed, carcass weight gains next year will be limited. Because of this, anticipated average carcass weights were reduced in 2021. Based on these factors combined, the forecast for 2021 beef production was reduced by 265 million lbs. from last month to 27.4 billion lbs.”

ERS left projected feeder cattle prices unchanged from the previous month as higher feed costs and the slower expected pace of marketing outweigh declining supplies.

The average feeder steer price (basis Oklahoma City) is projected at $140/cwt. in the third and fourth quarters for an annual average of $135.70. The projected feeder steer price is $131 for the first quarter of next year, $134 for the second quarter and at $137 for the 2021 average.

“The result of greater placements in second-half 2020 without increased marketings in the second half will likely keep cattle in feedlots above year-ago levels through the remainder of 2020,” say ERS analysts. “Because of this, anticipated feeder cattle supplies will diminish in 2021. However, the increase in fed cattle prices will likely offset higher corn prices forecast for next year.”

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade began to develop in the Southern Plains on Wednesday, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service. Live prices were $2 higher in Kansas at $103/cwt. and $1.50-$2.00 higher in the Texas Panhandle at $103.00-$103.50.

That helps explain why there were no sales in the weekly Fed Cattle Exchange Auction, where 613 were offered—all from the Southern Plains. Two lots in that sale were passed on at $102.25.

At the fat auction in Tama, IA, though, 221 head of Choice 2-4 steers weighing an average of 1,379 lbs. brought an average of $104.63, which was more than the $100-$103 country trade in the region last week.

Similarly, slaughter steers sold steady to $2 higher in the fat auction at Sioux Falls Regional in South Dakota, where 250 head of Choice 2-3 steers weighed an average of 1,431 lbs. and brought an average of $105.20.

Cattle futures closed mixed again, with Feeder Cattle receiving some pressure from grains.

Live Cattle futures closed mixed but mostly marginally higher (an average of 15¢ lower to an average of 20¢ higher).

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of 71¢ lower (27¢ to $1.27 higher).

Choice boxed beef cutout value was 71¢ lower Wednesday afternoon at $215.38/cwt. Select was $1.77 lower at $204.51.

Corn futures closed 4¢ to 5¢ higher through Jly ’21 and then mostly 2¢ to 3¢ higher. 

Soybean futures closed 13¢ to 19¢ higher through Aug ’21 and then mostly 3¢ to 8¢ higher, helped along by recent export sales.

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Major U.S. financial indices closed mixed on Wednesday, pressured by big tech stocks, while some other sectors received support from the FOMC announcement it was maintaining the current interest rate levels.

“The Committee decided to keep the target range for the federal funds rate at 0% to 0.25% and expects it will be appropriate to maintain this target range until labor market conditions have reached levels consistent with the Committee’s assessments of maximum employment and inflation has risen to 2% and is on track to moderately exceed 2% for some time,” according to the FOMC statement.

In other words, it will likely be a good while before they entertain an increase in interest rates.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 36 points higher. The S&P 500 closed 15 points lower. The NASDAQ closed 139 points lower.

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“Farm commodity prices are down by 10.4% over the last 12 months. As a result, and despite the initiation of $32 billion in USDA farm support payments in 2020, only 8% of bankers reported their area economy had improved compared to July, while 18.4% said economic conditions had worsened,” says Ernie Goss, Jack A. MacAllister Chair in Regional Economics at Creighton University’s Heider College of Business.

Goss is referring to the Creighton University Rural Mainstreet Index (RMI) and monthly survey of bankers in 10 regional states, dependent on agriculture and/or energy. It focuses on approximately 200 rural communities with an average population of 1,300, and offers the most current real-time analysis of the rural economy.

The RMI increased slightly in August to 44.7, compared to 44.1 in July. The index ranges between 0 and 100; a reading of 50.0 represents growth neutral.

Bank CEOs included in the survey note that August’s index represented the sixth straight month with a reading in a recessionary economic zone.

For only the second time in the last 81 months, the farmland price index moved above growth neutral with an August reading of 50.1, up from July’s 45.6.

Economic COVID-19 impacts vary among state economies, depending on government enforced shutdowns. For instance, Todd Douglas, CEO of the First National Bank in Pierre, South Dakota, says, “We were a state that did not shut down. Western parts of the state have seen a significant boost to the economy due to tourism from shut down states.”

Goss and Bill McQuillan, former chairman of the Independent Community Banks of America, created the monthly economic survey in 2005.

Bankers estimated that farm loan defaults would rise by 5.3% over the next 12- month period. That’s slightly higher than the 5% recorded the previous month, and the 4.8% a year earlier.

Cattle futures closed narrowly mixed Tuesday, awaiting cash direction.

Live Cattle futures closed mixed but mostly marginally lower (an average of 17¢ lower to an average of 25¢ higher).

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of 72¢ higher (17¢ higher in spot Sep to $1.10 higher).

Choice boxed beef cutout value was $1.12 lower Tuesday afternoon at $216.09/cwt. Select was $1.48 lower at $206.28.

Corn futures closed mostly 3¢ lower. 

Soybean futures closed 4¢ to 8¢ lower through May ’21 and then 2¢ higher to 2¢ lower.

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Major U.S. financial indices edged higher Tuesday, with support from tech stocks and ahead of the FOMC meeting scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday. 

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 2 points higher. The S&P 500 closed 17 points higher. The NASDAQ closed 133 points higher.

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“La Niña conditions were present in August, and there’s a 75% chance they’ll hang around through the winter,” according to the latest update from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which issued a La Niña Advisory in recent days.

While every El Niño Southern Oscillation is different, the NOAA folks say it makes certain outcomes more likely. In this case, La Niña winters tend to be warmer and drier in the Southern tier of the United States and tend to be colder in the Northern tier.

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“Drive-thru and other off-premises operations will be a major part of the U.S. restaurant industry’s recovery and future,” says David Portalatin, food industry advisor for The NPD Group (NPD). “Drive-thru operations are delivering a high ROI during the pandemic, offering convenience, speed, and the comfort of social distance to consumers using them. Fast casual and traditional quick service chains have already announced expansion plans for their drive-thru operations, and we will hear about more chains doing the same.”

Compared to pandemic lows, drive-thru restaurant visits increased by 26% in the April, May, and June quarter and represented 42% of all restaurant visits, according to NPD. Although more restaurants reopened in July, drive-thru visits still increased by 13%.

For perspective, according to NPD, drive-thru visits declined 17% year over year in the second quarter, but they fared significantly more positively than other restaurant categories and segments.

Visits to fast casual chains were down 26% year over year in the second quarter. Prior to the pandemic, and for the last several years, they outpaced the U.S. restaurant industry in visits and unit growth. Many of them don’t have drive-thru operations.

Likewise, most full service restaurants don’t have drive-thrus. They were most impacted by the mandated dine-in closure, with year-over-year declines of 48% in April, May and June, before improving to a year-over-decline of 32% in July.

The five-area direct average steer price last week was $101.21/cwt. on a live basis, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service. That was $1.91 less than the prior week. The average steer price in the beef of $160.66 was $2.41 less.

Cattle futures took a step higher Monday, building on last week’s gains, tied to the outlook for slightly snugger supplies and support from lean hog prices, which appear ready to advance, on South Korea and China banning pork exports from Germany, due to African Swine Fever discovered in that nation.

Live Cattle futures closed an average of $1.20 higher (77¢ to $1.80 higher).

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of $1.75 higher ($1.50 to $2.02 higher).

Choice boxed beef cutout value was $2.68 lower Monday afternoon at $217.21/cwt. Select was 66¢ higher at $207.76.

After 7¢ higher in spot Sep, Corn futures closed mostly fractionally mixed to 1¢ lower. 

After 13¢ higher in spot Sep, Soybean futures closed 4¢ to 8¢ higher.

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Major U.S. financial indices closed higher Monday, buoyed by merger and acquisition news, as well as increasing optimism about a COVID-19 vaccine being developed by the end of the year.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 327 points higher. The S&P 500 closed 42 points higher. The NASDAQ closed 203 points higher.

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Although food and meat supplies continue to strengthen, following the worst of pandemic disruptions, returning to a balanced marketplace requires an economic recovery that reduces unemployment and revives household incomes, according to Greg Pompelli, director of the Texas A&M AgriLife-led Center of Excellence for Cross-Border Threat Screening and Supply Chain Defense Center. He adds that, given the importance of global markets to U.S. agriculture, the focus will be on returning to pre-pandemic trade levels.

In the meantime, David Anderson, Extension livestock economist at Texas A&M University says the pandemic may prompt a new normal in consumer purchasing practices.

For instance, Anderson points to more delivery services, boxed meals and curbside grocery pickup options as consumers maintain some of their habits from when store shelves and meat cases were bare and people were asked to stay home.

“Another adjustment I think we are going to continue to see over time is more delivery services of groceries and food. More and more of the shoppers in the grocery aisles are employees putting together grocery orders, either for curbside pickup or for companies that bring the order to your home,” Anderson explains.

“Where we see changes at the retail level boils down to human behavior,” Pompelli says. “In the early days of the pandemic, with paper towels or toilet paper, people assumed they wouldn’t be able to find these products for a year, so they stocked up.” Now, he says, consumers are adapting and moving away from their initial reactions as their concerns about food availability diminish.

Prior to the COVID-19 shutdowns, consumers typically purchased about 50% of their food from grocery stores for home consumption and 50% from food services, such as restaurants and schools.

With restaurants continuing to operate at limited capacity and with students recently returning to schools, Anderson explains the food supply chain is still adjusting to the changing markets.

Negotiated cash fed cattle prices in the Texas Panhandle through Friday afternoon were mostly $1 higher than earlier in the week at $102/cwt., which was $1 lower than last week, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.

Cattle futures edged higher Friday, supported by resurgent Lean Hog futures, tied to South Korea banning pork exports from Germany after a wild boar carcass in that European nation tested positive for African Swine Fever.

Live Cattle futures closed an average of 34¢ higher (7¢ to 47¢ higher).

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of 47¢ higher (7¢ to 97¢ higher).

Choice boxed beef cutout value was 94¢ lower Friday afternoon at $219.89/cwt. Select was 22¢ lower at $207.10.

Corn and soybean futures gained some lift from the monthly World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (see below), with soybeans receiving added support from recently strong export sales.

Corn futures closed 3¢ to 7¢ higher through May ’21 and then mostly 1¢ to 2¢ higher. Week to week on Friday, they closed an average of 11¢ higher through the front six contracts.

Soybean futures closed 16¢ to 20¢ higher through the front four contracts and then 6¢ to 12¢ higher across the next three; mostly 1¢ to 2¢ lower the rest of the way. Week to week on Friday, they closed an average of 25¢ higher through the front six contracts.

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Major U.S. financial indices closed mixed Friday, with continued pressure from the selloff in big tech stocks.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 131 points higher. The S&P 500 closed 1 point higher. The NASDAQ closed 66 points lower.

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USDA increased expected beef production for this year by 20 million lbs. to 27.05 billion lbs., in September’s World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE), compared to the previous month’s estimate. That’s based on increased expected slaughter in the second half of 2019. The total would be 107 million lbs. less than last year. Estimated beef production is forecast at 27.36 billion lbs. next year, which would be 307 million lbs. more (+1.14%) than this year.

The projected annual average fed steer price (five-area direct) for this year is $107.30/cwt., which would be $9.48 less than last year. ERS analysts increased the forecast annual price next year by $2 to $112, compared to the previous month’s projection, based on expected lower production. More immediately, the WASDE pegs the average third-quarter price this year at $101, followed by an average of $104 in the fourth quarter and $107 in the first quarter of 2021.

Estimated total red meat and poultry production for this year was lowered from the previous month, with lower forecast pork and broiler production more than offsetting higher beef and turkey production.

Total red meat and poultry production is estimated at 106.30 billion lbs. this year, which would be 1.03 billion lbs. more (+0.98%) than in 2019. Next year’s total red meat and poultry production is forecast at 107.35 billion lbs., which would be 1.05 billion lbs. more than this year.

Corn

Corn production for grain is projected 2% less than the previous month at 14.9 billion bu. That’s 378 million bu. less, based on reducing harvested corn acres by 550,000 acres, due to the late-summer derecho, according to the latest Crop Production report from the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Estimated production would still be 9% more than last year.

Although 3.3 bu./acre less than the previous moth’s projection, forecast yield of 178.5 bu./harvested acre would be record large and 11.1 bu./acre more than last year. That’s based on conditions as of Sept. 1

With a smaller crop more than offsetting increased beginning stocks–mostly due to lower estimated exports for 2019-20–WASDE reduced projected ending stocks by 253 million bu. and increased the season-average corn price by 40¢ to $3.50/bu.

Soybeans

Soybean production for beans was forecast at 4.31 billion bu., down 3% from the previous forecast, but up 21% from last year, according to the Crop Production report. Expected average yield is a record high 51.9 bu./harvested acre, down 1.4 bu. from the previous forecast but 4.5 bu. more than in 2019. Area harvested for beans in the United States is forecast at 83.0 million acres, unchanged from the previous forecast and 11% more than last year.

The U.S. season-average soybean price is forecast at $9.25/bu., up 90¢ from last month. The soybean meal price is projected at $315 per short ton, up $25 dollars. The soybean oil price forecast is 32.0¢/lb., up 2¢.

Wheat

The 2020-21 U.S. wheat supply and demand outlook was unchanged in the latest WASDE. The projected season-average farm price remains at $4.50/bu.