Romantic steak dinners are a must on Valentine’s Day. How can beef producers capitalize on the excitement of beef during this holiday and keep the momentum until summer grilling season?

Amanda Radke

February 14, 2017

3 Min Read
Valentine’s Day is beef’s time to shine
KENTFIELD, CA - MAY 08: Cuts of beef are displayed at Woodlands Meats on May 8, 2013 in Kentfield, California. With U.S. cattle and calf herds at their lowest levels since 1952 and corn feed prices on the rise, beef prices hit an all-time high this past week when the wholesale price of USDA cuts of beef topped $201.68 per 100 pounds, the highest price since October 2003. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)Justin Sullivan

Today is Valentine’s Day, a Hallmark holiday designed to remind the special people in your life that you love and care about them. In addition to the abundance of flower bouquets and boxes of chocolates that are popular gifts on Valentine’s Day, many couples choose to celebrate the holiday with a romantic date night.

Whether ordering a steak at a restaurant or grilling at home, beef is, without a doubt, the star of Valentine’s Day. Still looking for supper inspiration to make for your beloved at home this evening? Check out these Valentine’s Day meal suggestions from Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner by clicking here.

It’s always great to see a spike in domestic beef demand during these big holidays. It would be great to keep up the momentum that Valentine’s Day brings and maintain that excitement for beef through spring and into the Memorial Day weekend.

So where is beef production and demand sitting currently, relative to competing pork and poultry? USDA’s Feb. 9, 2017 World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates gives us an idea.

According to the report, “Estimated red meat and poultry production for 2016 was adjusted to reflect December slaughter data. Total red meat and poultry production for 2017 is lowered, largely reflecting decreased pork and poultry forecasts. Beef production is raised. Placements and marketings for the year are raised, resulting in higher cattle slaughter.

“The January Cattle inventory report estimated that total cattle and calf numbers on Jan. 1, 2017, increased for the third consecutive year. Beef cow numbers were above 2016, and producers indicated they were holding more heifers for addition to the breeding herd. The report also indicated a year-over-year increase in the number of cattle outside feedlots.

“The January Cattle on Feed report showed higher-than-expected placement numbers in December, implying that larger numbers of fed cattle will be marketed during the spring quarter. Cattle weights are reduced for 2017 as producers are expected to remain current in feedlot marketings. Pork production in the first quarter is reduced on the current pace of slaughter and slightly lighter carcass weights. Broiler production is lowered as increases in production in the first quarter are more than offset by reductions in the second half of the year.  

“Livestock trade estimates for 2016 are adjusted to reflect December data. For 2017, forecast beef imports are raised on expectations of higher shipments of processing beef from Oceania.  Robust demand for U.S. beef supports higher forecast beef exports for the year. No changes are made to pork, poultry and egg trade forecasts. Cattle, hog, and broiler price forecasts are raised to reflect demand strength. Turkey prices are forecast lower on current prices.”

Read the entire report from UDSA here.

Beef demand around the world has been the saving grace for beef prices here in the U.S. I’m grateful for the beef checkoff and its focus on promoting beef in both our domestic and foreign markets. We know that beef is, hands down, the tastiest protein out there; let’s continue to entice our consumers with our own grassroots social media efforts online by sharing grilling photos, beef rubs, marinades and recipe suggestions and promoting the healthfulness of our products.

Happy Valentine’s Day from my ranch to yours!

The opinions of Amanda Radke are not necessarily those of beefmagazine.com or Penton Agriculture.

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