The Cattle Business Weekly

September 2, 2026 Press Release WASHINGTON — Today, Congressman Shomari C. Figures (AL-02) introduced the Protecting American Beef Producers Act, a bill to support American cattle producers by reversing President Trump’s proclamation that allowed for 300,000 metric tons of beef to be imported into the country and sold below market rate. “Alabama farmers are already struggling to make ends meet thanks to skyrocketing input costs caused by the President’s war with Iran and retaliatory tariffs stemming from his reckless trade policies,” said Congressman Figures. “The President’s beef order is yet another move that takes direct aim at the well-being of our agricultural...

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Dan Kuhn shares about his family’s longtime food stand at the South Dakota State Fair   If you were a kid in the 60s, a trip to the South Dakota State Fair might have included a hot dog. And to be more specific, it might have been a Shorty’s hot dog. Thousands upon thousands of fairgoers were greeted by Clarence “Shorty” Herold and his family for over 90 years at the South Dakota State Fair. You might remember them, as they certainly remember many of you. Grandson Dan Kuhn travelled religiously with his parents and six siblings every summer from...

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  What does the winter of 2026-27 look like for the Northern Plains?  There are several things to discuss about this winter.  Long range seasonal outlooks are particularly difficult to create, and describe, because of the multiple influences that can happen in a season. But there are times when outlooks have some more confidence describing a season overall.  Officially these outlooks are created by the National Weather Service Long Range Prediction Division. Heading into the winter of 2026-27 is one of those times when there is more that can be said with some confidence.  That confidence comes from the very...

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    The journey to produce high-quality beef presents market volatility and management challenges. But today, there are data, technology, tools and partners to identify the best value and how to attain it.   At the 2026 Feeding Quality Forum, each speaker added to the same message on Aug. 4 and 5 in Amarillo, TX. Hosted by Certified Angus Beef (CAB), the event drew more than 230 cow-calf producers, feedyard managers, allied industry and academia for two days of learning, sharing and networking.      Low inventory, high prices, volatile markets  The old news: the U.S. cow herd is small...

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  It is rare for a 10-day period to hand the cattle industry a historic supply report, multiple packing plant capacity announcements, and a headline trade policy action. Sorting the signals from the noise matters. Each event has generated its own reaction, but viewed together they tell a coherent story about an industry (and society at large) working through historically tight cattle supplies and strong beef demand — and they point to a shared lesson. Start with the fundamentals. While ever-boring to many, perennially-core fundamentals are just that – core and hard to ignore. USDA’s August Cattle on Feed report...

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Buyers stayed aggressive through a volatile week on the futures board as Superior Livestock Auction marketed more than 197,000 head at its Big Horn Classic, held Aug. 17–21 in Sheridan, Wyoming. The offering ran roughly 75 percent above the head offered a year ago, swelled by drought and fire across the North and West that pushed cattle to market early. Cattle producers sold a total of 1,357 lots consigned from 32 states, with 390 successful buyers over the five-day auction. Cattle sold on contract to deliver immediately through April 2027. “Good cattle, good people, good markets,” said Superior auctioneer Kyle...

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Updated— Aug. 25, 2026 – On Friday, Aug. 21 President Trump announced in a Truth Social post that he would be allowing up to 300,000 metric tons of product for ground beef to be imported into the United States with no tariff over the next 90 days. “We have a commitment that this beef will be sold at 25 percent below current market prices. This deal will reduce prices for Americans while giving space for our Great American Beef Herd to grow again,” Trump said in the post. The national average price for ground beef as of August 2026 is...

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  Iowa Governor’s Steer Show raises 2,000 for Ronald McDonald Charities           Supporters of the 44th annual Iowa Governor’s Charity Steer Show continue to show up and make a difference, raising more than 2,000 for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Iowa. Including this year’s donations, the Iowa Governor’s Charity Steer Show has surpassed .5 million in donations since its inception in 1983.  All money raised benefits the three independent Ronald McDonald House Charities of Iowa, located in Des Moines, Iowa City, and Sioux City. These three houses have served over 55,000 families from all 50...

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Cattle and beef markets suffered through a significant correction in July. Led by Live and Feeder futures, feeder and fed cattle markets were dragged lower through July; with USDA news of planned opening of the Mexican border adding additional pressure at the end of the month. Cattle markets are attempting to recover in August but the struggles continue with extended summer heat causing deterioration of pasture conditions and limiting summer activities. Widespread drought earlier in the year moderated significantly into July. Figure 1 shows that, compared to the peak drought level in April, conditions have improved, especially in the southeast...

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The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is proud to announce the 2026 Environmental Stewardship Award Program (ESAP) Regional winners. Recipients are recognized for their commitment to conservation and stewardship. The national winner, which will be selected from these seven regional recipients, will be announced during CattleCon 2027 in Nashville, Tennessee, in February.  “These regional winners undertake stewardship efforts unique to their environment, landscape and resources and they share their learnings with fellow producers,” said NCBA President Gene Copenhaver. “Their dedication to conserving natural resources is ensuring a bright future for the next generation.” The 2026 ESAP Regional winners are:  Region...

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