It’s been a tough row to hoe for cattle producers this year, as COVID-19 disrupted the normal flow of beef through the foodservice and retail channels, with restaurants largely closing and grocery stores struggling to meet panic-fueled demand in a relatively short period of time. Cutout values skyrocketed but prices paid for cattle fell as plants slowed line speeds or shutdown altogether as workers fell ill to the novel coronavirus.
What does the outlook for cattle and beef values hold in the second half of an already unprecedented year?
In this episode we hear from Don Close, senior animal protein analyst with Rabo AgriFinance. Close spoke with Feedstuffs editor Krissa Welshans about the unique challenges facing the nation’s farmers, ranchers and cattle raisers, recapping the wild ride the cattle markets took between February and June of this year, and offering his insights into a path forward for producers and packers.
The questions and unknowns at this stage are many, and Close provides a framework for understanding what the cattle industry has in store as we barrel headlong toward 2021.Â
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