Packer
Terrain’s Dave Weaber says placements of cattle into feedlots will continue to shrink, long-feared beef slaughter capacity reductions have arrived, and the beef cow herd hasn’t begun to expand.
The announcement to close the Lexington, Neb., plant and transition to one shift in Amarillo shocked the beef industry. While local impacts will be significant, analysts urge producers to remain calm as the market fundamentals steady following the reaction.
The company will end operations in early 2026 in the plant that employs nearly 3,200 people and can slaughter almost 5,000 cattle a day and convert its Amarillo, Texas, beef facility to a single, full-capacity shift.
Strong demand supports beef prices amid economic volatility, but herd investment and growth slows as producers grapple with increasing uncertainty due to political noise.
Oklahoma State’s Derrell Peel says the beef industry needs time — not politics or policy — to solve beef supply and demand realities.
President Trump orders an immediate investigation into major meatpackers over high prices and price manipulation.
Meat Institute report analyzes the state of beef cattle markets and points out current pricing myths.
The 2025 State of the Beef Industry Report summarizes optimism prevails yet challenges persist in today’s beef industry.
Market analysts attribute the strong beef demand to several factors including the consumer craze for protein.