WLI

Through Thursday, the average five-area direct fed steer price (AMS) was $104.84 on a live basis, compared to $112.68 the previous week. The dressed steer price was $166.65, versus $179.17 the prior week.

Regionally, live prices were $3-$4 lower in the Southern Plains at $104/cwt. in the Texas Panhandle and at $103-$107 in Kansas. Live trade was $5-$10 lower in Nebraska at $105-$108; $5-$9 less in the western Corn Belt at $103-$105. Dressed trade was $10-$20 lower in Nebraska at $165; $13-$15 lower in the western Corn Belt at $160-$172.

Cattle futures drifted lower on Friday amid light trade and lower cash prices.

Live Cattle futures closed an average of 72¢ lower.

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average 88¢ lower.

Wholesale beef values closed lower, minus the steep pitch of recent weeks. Choice boxed beef cutout value was $4.92 lower Friday afternoon at $230.64/cwt. Select was 61¢ lower at $219.27.

Corn futures closed mostly fractionally lower to 1¢ lower.

Soybean futures closed mostly 2¢ to 5¢ higher through Jan ’21 and then mostly fractionally lower.

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Major U.S. financial indices closed higher Friday, gaining back a portion of the previous day’s steep selloff, tied to queasiness over escalating COVID-19 cases in some states.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 477 points higher. The S&P 500 closed 39 points higher. The NASDAQ closed 96 points higher.

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“Considerable uncertainty remains in the U.S. and global markets going forward,” says Derrell Peel, Extension livestock marketing specialist at Oklahoma State University, in his latest weekly market comments. “While domestic protein markets continue to sort out the COVID-19 and recessionary impacts, meat trade is generally offering a much needed bright spot across all protein industries.” 

Based on the latest trade data, Peel explains U.S. beef exports in April were 3.4% less year over year, but are 6.9% more for January through April. He adds that beef imports are 3.3% more year to date, compared to 2019. Also, U.S. pork exports are 35.2% more than in 2019 for January through April and U.S. broiler exports are up 7.8%.

“China continues to struggle with the impacts of African Swine Fever (ASF) and the resulting protein shortages. This is supporting U.S. protein exports,” Peel explains. He points out U.S. pork exports to China, year to date, were 458.2% more than last year. Although sparse, U.S. beef exports to China also continue to grow, up 38.7% so far this year.

USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) left its forecast for 2020 U.S. exports of livestock poultry and dairy unchanged at $32.4 billion, in the latest quarterly Outlook for U.S. Agricultural Trade.

“Strengthened demand for pork and dairy products offsets a decline for beef and poultry products,” say FAS analysts. “Strong demand from China continues to drive growth in U.S. pork exports. The beef forecast is lowered nearly $300 million to $7.2 billion as lower volumes are only partially offset by the higher prices associated with tighter domestic supplies.” Beef export last year were about $7.3 billion.

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade continued lower on Thursday, with live trade in the Texas Panhandle $4 lower at $104/cwt. and $1-$5 lower in Kansas at $103-$107, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS).

“With the slaughter pace inching closer to normal and beef cutout values dropping, the focus may soon be turning to the surplus of market ready cattle that history says will have to be whittled away at by getting to a price low enough to stimulate surplus demand,” noted the AMS reporter on hand for the weekly sale at South Central Regional Stockyards in Vienna, MO.

Cattle futures closed narrowly mixed to narrowly lower, fading more intense pressure early in the session. Declining cash prices and sharply lower outside markets added drag, while export sales provided some lift. Net beef export sales were up 66% (week ending June 4) from the previous week and up noticeably from the prior four-week average, according to the weekly Export Sales report from USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service. Increases were primarily for South Korea, Japan, Mexico and Canada.

Live Cattle futures closed narrowly mixed, from 35¢ lower to 22¢ higher.

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average 54¢ lower.

The average five-area direct live steer price (FOB) in May was $111.53/cwt., which was $9.51 more than the previous month, according to USDA. The average dressed steer price in the beef was $179.02 (delivered), which was $19.75 more than the previous month.

Wholesale beef values closed lower, minus the steep pitch of recent weeks. Choice boxed beef cutout value was 50¢ lower Thursday afternoon at $235.56/cwt. Select was $2.96 lower at $219.88.

The average dressed steer weight for the week ending May 30 was 891 lbs., which was 3 lbs. lighter than the previous week, but 49 lbs. heavier than the previous year, according to USDA’s Actual Slaughter Under Federal Inspection report. The average dressed heifer weight of 826 lbs. was even with the prior week and 47 lbs. heavier than the previous year.

Corn futures closed mostly 1¢ to 2¢ higher.

Other than fractionally higher in the front three contracts, Soybean futures closed mostly 2¢ to 3¢ lower. 

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Major U.S. financial indices closed sharply lower Thursday, pressured by the recent increase in COVID-19 cases and investor worry that reopening the nation’s economy could stall.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 1,861 points lower. The S&P 500 closed 188 points lower. The NASDAQ closed 527 points lower.

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USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) estimates this year’s beef production at 26.67 billion lbs., which is 910 million lbs. more (+3.53%) than the previous month’s estimate. That would be 481 million lbs. less (-1.77%) than in 2019. In the latest monthly World and Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates, ERS analysts say the increase reflects slaughter levels recovering quicker than anticipated a month earlier.

“Cattle price forecasts are raised, reflecting current price strength and increased packer demand,” say ERS analysts. “For 2021, cattle prices are also raised on expected continued strength of packer demand in the first part of the year.”

The annual fed steer price for this year is projected at $108.60/cwt., which is $4.50 more than the previous month’s expectation. By quarter, USDA pegs the average fed steer price at $118.32 in the first quarter, $106 in the second quarter, $104 in the third quarter and $106 in the fourth quarter. The projected price for the first quarter next year is $104.

ERS estimates total red meat and poultry production 1.43 billion lbs. more (+1.38%) than the previous month at 105.00 billion lbs. That would be 261 million lbs. less (-0.25%) than in 2019.

Among other WASDE highlights:

Corn

The 2020-21 U.S. corn outlook was little changed, with fractional increases to beginning and ending stocks. Ending stocks were projected 5 million bu. higher at 3.3 billion bu. The season-average farm price was unchanged at $3.20/bu.

Soybeans

U.S. soybean supply and use projections for 2020-21 include higher beginning stocks, higher crush, and slightly lower ending stocks. With higher soybean crush more than offsetting higher beginning stocks, 2020-21 ending stocks are projected at 395 million bushels. The 2020-21 season-average soybean and product price forecasts were unchanged: $8.20 per bushel, down 30¢ from 2019-20. Soybean meal prices are forecast at $290 per short ton, down $10 from 2019-20. Soybean oil prices are forecast at 29.0¢/lb., up 0.5¢ from 2019-20.

Wheat

Total 2020-21 wheat production was forecast at 1,877 million bu., and total supplies were raised 16 million to 3,000 million. Domestic use and exports for the new marketing year were unchanged, while ending stocks were raised 16 million bushels to 925 million, which would be a 6-year low. Last month, ERS projected 2020-21 ending stocks 69 million bu. lower than the previous year at 909 million. The projected season-average farm price last month was projected at $4.60/bu., unchanged from the previous year, with expectations for U.S. corn prices to restrain U.S. wheat prices.

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade staggered ahead Wednesday with live sales in the Southern Plains mostly unevenly steady at $108/cwt. A day earlier, dressed trade in Nebraska was $10-$20 lower than last week at $165, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.

Cattle feeders offered 1,447 head in the weekly Fed Cattle Exchange auction on Wednesday. Just one lot—228 head of Texas heifers—sold for a weighted average price of $105/cwt. for delivery at 1-17 days.

Choice steers and heifers sold $2.50-$3.00 lower at the fat auction in Tama, IA, where 120 head of Choice 2-4 steers weighing an average of 1,375 lbs. brought an average price of $106.59.

At Sioux Falls Regional in South Dakota, slaughter steers and heifers sold steady to $4 lower. There were 206 head of Choice 3-4 steers weighing an average of 1,590 lbs. and bringing an average of $105.27.

Cattle futures closed mostly lower with the softer cash tone and continued decline in wholesale beef values.

Other than 27¢ higher in spot Jun, Live Cattle futures closed an average of $1.09 lower.

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average $1.07 lower (67¢ lower at the back to $1.57 lower in spot Aug).

Choice boxed beef cutout value was $10.94 lower Wednesday afternoon at $236.06/cwt. Select was $5.11 lower at $222.84.

Corn futures closed mostly 1¢ to 2¢ lower.

Other than fractionally higher to 2¢ higher in the front four contracts, Soybean futures closed mostly 2¢ lower. 

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Major U.S. financial indices closed mixed Wednesday, with tech stocks enjoying the most support overall. Pressure likely stemmed from the Federal Open Markets Committee (FOMC) projections that reaffirm the lengthy economic recovery ahead.

The FOMC projects the median real GDP at -6.5 for this year, 5.0 in 2021 and 3.5 in 2022. Median PCE inflation is projected at 0.8 this year, 1.6 next year and 1.7 in 2022.

“The ongoing public health crisis will weigh heavily on economic activity, employment, and inflation in the near term, and poses considerable risks to the economic outlook over the medium term,” according to an FOMC statement. “In light of these developments, the Committee decided to maintain the target range for the federal funds rate at 0.0% to 0.25%. The Committee expects to maintain this target range until it is confident that the economy has weathered recent events and is on track to achieve its maximum employment and price stability goals.”

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 282 points lower. The S&P 500 closed 17 points lower. The NASDAQ closed 66 points higher.

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“Current proposals to increase the number of cattle transacted through a particular channel is unlikely to affect beef demand derived from consumers and passed along the supply chain to producers or alter the current supply of fed cattle ready for harvest,” says Elliott Dennis, Extension livestock economist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, in the latest issue of In the Cattle Markets.

He’s referring to recent policy proposals to mandate that packers buy a specific percentage of their weekly fed cattle needs each week in the spot cash market. One, referred to as the 50-14 rule, led by Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) would mandate large-scale packers procure a minimum of 50% of total cattle purchased in the cash market each week for delivery within 14 days.

“The hope is that by increasing cash trade transactions it will solve issues with price discovery, effectively increasing negotiated cash prices,” Dennis explains. “Supply of fed cattle and demand for wholesale beef determines the price of fed cattle. In order to increase fed cattle prices, the 50-14 rule would either need to reduce the supply of fed cattle or increase the demand for wholesale beef. While the rule would increase negotiated cash transactions helping in price discovery in a given week, it is unlikely to affect the underlying fed cattle market supply and demand conditions to effectively increase cash price levels.”

In the meantime, during the pandemic, Dennis points out there have been significant shifts in the percentage of cattle traded via formula and those marketed with a negotiated grid.

“In April, formula trade was 74% of total weekly transactions and negotiated grid was 4%,” Dennis explains. “In May, formula trade fell to 48% and negotiated grid was 20%. The past few weeks, cattle sold on formula steadily increased while cattle on the negotiated grid have decreased. There has been little change in the negotiated cash and forward contract trade, on average for the U.S., since January 1, 2020.”

There are regional differences

“Formula trade fell in the Texas-Oklahoma-New Mexico region but not below five-year historical levels. This was offset by trade in the negotiated grid. Formula priced cattle fell from 95% of cattle priced in April to 30% in May. This was replaced entirely by negotiated grid priced cattle,” Dennis explains. “In both the Texas-Oklahoma-New Mexico and Kansas region there was little movement in the negotiated price. Pricing in Nebraska has been somewhat more volatile. Negotiated cash fell to a historic low of 2% of transactions in May and was entirely offset by increased formula trade. Negotiated grid and forward contract transactions were historically constant.”

During this period of time, Dennis notes that heavyweight carcass discounts declined as carcass weights increased contra-seasonally, due to the backlog in market-ready fed cattle. Quality premiums also shifted since the beginning of the year.

“The underlying makeup of cattle transactions the market is seeing is likely more due to a change in the grid premiums and discounts than a fundamental shift in producer preference for the way cattle are transacted,” Dennis says.

Other than a few dressed trades reported by the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) in the western Corn Belt on Tuesday at $166/cwt. and too few to trend, negotiated cash fed cattle trade remained undeveloped.

Cattle futures closed mostly higher with more active trade.

Live Cattle futures closed an average of $1.09 higher through the front five contracts (10¢ higher in Feb to $2.20 higher in spot Jun), and then an average of 12¢ lower. 

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average 73¢ higher (32¢ higher toward the back to $1.17 higher in spot Aug).

Choice boxed beef cutout value was $7.58 lower Tuesday afternoon at $247.00/cwt. Select was $3.17 lower at $227.95.

As of Tuesday morning, beef packing facilities were operating at 98% of their average capacity, compared to the same time last year, according to USDA. Pork facilities were at 95%, and poultry facilities were operating at 98%.

Corn futures closed 3¢ to 6¢ lower through May ’21 and then mostly 1¢ lower.

Soybean futures closed mostly 1¢ to 4¢ lower through Jly ‘21 and then mainly 7¢ to 8¢ lower.

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Major U.S. financial indices gave back some of the recent gains on Tuesday, on likely profit taking.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 300 points lower. The S&P 500 closed 25 points lower. The NASDAQ closed 29 points higher.

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Major restaurant chain customer transactions continue to improve as a growing number of restaurant dine-in services reopen, according to the NPD Group (NPD).

For the week ending May 31, U.S. restaurant chain transactions declined by 18% compared to same period a year ago, which represented a 3% week-over-week improvement, according to NPD’s CREST^®Performance Alerts.

That same week, transactions at major full service restaurant chains, which were hardest hit by the dine-in closures, were 37% less than a year ago, a 15% increase from the prior week. Quick service restaurant chain transactions, which represent the bulk of industry transactions, declined by 16% compared to a year ago, versus an 18% decline for the week ending May 24.

More than 68% of all restaurant units are in states, counties, or municipalities where they are permitted to reopen their on-premise dining service, according to NPD’s ReCount^®restaurant census. Although that doesn’t mean all restaurants in those areas reopened, it is an indicator of loosening regulations.

“The U.S. foodservice industry today remains solidly in the re-start phase as restaurants begin to reopen their on-premise operations,” says David Portalatin, NPD food industry advisor. “The industry will move to the recovery phase when all states reopen on-premise dining and we can begin to make a detailed assessment of how many permanent restaurant closures there are and how that will affect what the industry will look like as it re-emerges.” 

Cattle futures softened to start the week, extending losses from the previous session. Pressure included last week’s softer cattle prices, light trade and demand uncertainty.

Other than 7¢ to 22¢ higher in the front three contracts, Live Cattle futures closed an average of 66¢ lower (15¢ lower to $1.10 lower at the back). 

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average $1.17 lower.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was $6.90 lower Monday afternoon at $254.58/cwt. Select was $15.30 lower at $231.12.

Corn futures closed 2¢ higher.

Soybean futures closed mostly 1¢ lower through Aug ‘21 and then mainly 3¢ higher.

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Major U.S. financial indices closed higher on Monday, extending gains from the previous session’s strong performance. Support included carryover optimism from last Friday’s bullish employment report.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 461 points higher. The S&P 500 closed 38 points higher. The NASDAQ closed 110 points higher.

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The weighted average five-area direct live fed steer price was $3.32 lower week to week on Friday at $112.39/cwt. The dressed price was $4.79 lower at $179.04. Prices were $113.76 and $184.21 at the same time last year.

However, the range in negotiated cash fed cattle prices continued across a broad range, with live prices in the Southern Plains at mostly $105-$117/cwt., $110-$118 in Nebraska and $108-$114 in the western Corn Belt. Dressed prices were at $175-$185.

“This wide range in prices is largely due to regional supply and demand. Regions with a large supply of market ready cattle and limited demand are seeing the lowest prices, while regions with strong demand and a relatively smaller supply are seeing higher prices,” explains Andrew P. Griffith, agricultural economist with the University of Tennessee, in his weekly market comments. “This may not be the only reason for the disparity in prices as other factors are at play, but supply and demand are generally what push prices one way or the other. It is difficult to predict what prices will be as the market moves through the glut of cattle, but there is sure to be downward pressure throughout the summer and fall. The market is attempting to align itself with supply and demand.”

On the other hand, Griffith says price expectations for late-summer and early fall feeder cattle continue to improve.