Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was inactive on light demand in all major cattle feeding regions through Monday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.
Last week, FOB live prices were mostly $3 higher in the Southern Plains at mainly $248/cwt., mostly $5 higher in Nebraska at mainly $345 and $3-$4 higher in the western Corn Belt at mostly $244-$245. Dressed delivered prices were $4 higher in Nebraska at $282 and $2-$4 higher at $380-$382 in the western Corn Belt on a light test.
Choice boxed beef cutout value was $3.30 higher Monday afternoon at $367.77/cwt. Select was $2.19 lower at $361.23.
Futures and equity markets were closed Monday for Presidents Day.
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Industry concentration and consolidation appears to be continuing on the production side of agriculture, according to the USDA’s Farms and Land in Farms 2025 Summary.
The number of farms in the United States for 2025 was estimated at 1,865,000, down 15,000 farms from 2024. The number of farms decreased in all sales classes except the $1,000,000 or more sales class. In 2025, 48.0% of all farms had less than $10,000 in sales and 78.8% of all farms had less than $100,000 in sales. In 2025, 9.9% of all farms had sales of $500,000 or more.
Total land in farms decreased 2,510,000 acres year over year to 873,950,000 acres. The land in farms decreased in all sales classes except the $1,000,000 or more sales class, which increased by 850,000 acres.
In 2025, 25.7% of all farmland was operated by farms with less than $100,000 in sales, while 50.1% of all farmland was operated by farms with sales of $500,000 or more.
The average farm size for 2025 is 469 acres, up from 466 acres the previous year.