It was a holiday week filled with barbecue festivities in Canada and the U.S. The combination of the holidays and plant closures in Kansas led to lower beef processing this week.
There was no report from the USDA on Thursday, but Ann Wasco of Gateway Livestock Exchange said in this week’s beef market update that choice cutouts closed at their highest price this year on Wednesday night, $6.50 higher than last week.
Information about these rising beef prices has made its way up through the U.S. government, with President Joe Biden contacting Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack this week to ask why beef prices are so high.
North of the border, Statistics Canada released export data for May, showing exports were roughly on par with the previous year, but Wasco expects Ontario cattle to move south in June. Strike at Cargill’s Dunlop plant. The strike was due to begin on May 27, and it was announced on Thursday that a settlement had been reached and a vote would take place this Saturday. RealAgriculture.com.
And, of course, farming wouldn’t be complete without talking about the weather. Wasco says rain played a big role in the quiet auction market. After at least three years of drought that forced cattle off pastures early, she says producers will be taking their time this year because of the abundance of pasture available.
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