My steers are almost finished and my calves get weaned today.
Trump says "were gonna do something about beef prices, we have a deal" and prices start falling.

Feels like a developer from NY is setting up the next farm crisis.

Sorry about your situation, bur I hope beef prices at the grocery store come down. They about priced themselves outta most peoples budget.

I heard trump saying they were working on a deal trying to get beef prices down. I would think with corn being under 4.oo a bushel and fats at 2.40 a lb or better you should be making a nice profit on them.

Yes,feed prices should start dropping fat cattle prices.

It all about supply and demand. We buy very little haven't had a steak in years now. Not worth the price they want. Stop buying and prices will go down.

I'm good with that, I understand it and can accept it, the manipulation though I don't understand and create a deep distrust for those doing it.



Beef is a luxury, same as lamb and lobster. Chicken and pork will always be the budget friendly option and occasionally the luxury meats will have dips as well. If all animal protein was as high or higher than beef and truly out of reach of consumers then we may need some corrective action

In better news fall calving has concluded here.

Why the surge in beef prices? Isn't Australia capable of buying are beef now? Is supply starting to meet demand?

Are you talking live weight or retail prices?

Live weight, retailers will probably try and hold the line.

Australia produces enough for themselves and exports a considerable amount. I'm glad the Australian market is opened but it's a small specialty market for U.S beef there

Reducing beef prices may be related to more imports from Brazil?

Are you kidding me? I was raised in the panhandle of Texas working ranches you ranchers never cease to amaze me look out your window in your equipment yard and the truck you’re driving you’re a whole lot better off than 90% of the people in this country, but you have the right to complain just like everybody else. I’m sure wherever you live. It’s either too wet or too dry. The beef industry has just about priced itself out of business. Retail price of beef has to come down. It’s simple economics.

Beef is not the only high price sugar has went from $2 a sack to $8 a sack its everything. I work in a pershishable warehouse plenty of product coming in yet shelves bare little greed I think holding up $

Im with you Donner. It's the manipulation that infuriates. Supply and demand should be setting prices...

I'm way better off than the majority, I also work a lot more than the majority, seems as though the more I work the better luck I have.

My complaint isn't that prices are ebbing and flowing, it's that the president is manipulating the market

Not sure what they're bring at the sale barns across the country, but in my area 3-400 founders are over $5 a pound

on another note, i read an article about the price of drugs is supposed to be drastically dropping and it needs to. Trump said he is sick and tired of the US overpaying so the rest of the world can get medications cheaper. I totally freaking agree with that.

People will do all they can to discourage you when working hard, reducing spending and improving your life during the beginning lean hustling years while they are playing and buying luxuriouslys on credit to look good.

Then 10 to 20 years later those same people are sounding like chief t referring to your advantages and what all you have now. Are you kidding me, if I had their money, ect. They never take a hard look at why they dont .

People need to decide what they want set goals and plans to get there and stick with it. If you want to own a farm make a plan and work at achieving it regardless of how unlikely it looks you will ever be able to aford to. Want to have x amount of money, live on less than you make and invest.

The number of cattle in the US is the lowest since 1973. The cattle industry can never be concentrated like poultry and hogs. You need thousands of independent cattlemen producing relatively small lots of cattle to try and keep up demand. Add into the threat of screwworm from imports, I don't think you will see a price drop anytime soon. I know beef is high, but I have great respect for our cattle producers. Unlike grain farmers they are not protected by government subsidies. Pulling calves in February in SD is always a fun job! As far as Trump, He always thinks the heavy hand of government can solve any problem. He often talks about Calvin Coolidge, but he is as far from silent Cal as you can get. However, I do like what he is trying to do with shutting down the Department of Education. That is what they need to be concentrating on, reducing the size of government.

Drought in West many sold out or down, Young not continuing in farming. Screw worm in Mexico, no beef from there coming in.
Bison 88 I ddin't see you post, I agree. Another is lack of processors. Another is the huge drop of interest in fake meat, RFK has helped spread the word of this whatever it is and the dangers of what is in it. Markets are do 99%.

Yep

Steak my aching butt! I can't afford 'Burger anymore!

I was at Walmart yesterday and looked at the price of prime ribeye.

Walmart price was $24/lb!!! That one steak was $31.48!!!

So luckily, my neighbor and I bought a calf way before this rush and slaughtered before the increase in prices. I winced at $5/lb buttered and vacuum sealed. I now smile!!

Farmers as a whole are definitely in a pickle now. Present farmers getting out. Next generation wanting nothing to do with it. See it a lot around here.

With feeders priced where they’re at and fat’s price you can’t make money right now, if the market moves that may change, the packers have been struggling as cash cash price is higher than the board price and box beef price is dropping because of lack of demand, the feeder cattle markets have been on a big run and I still think the end is coming and maybe next week, especially if the funds want to make money they’ll drive that market down really fast.

If you have your own herd you can make money either selling as feeders or fats.now if your buying feeders there isn't much room for profit

Yeah I should have clarified that if purchasing feeders the the market isn’t good.

No winning in the long run with beef. If in the last couple years you happened to have a herd when the prices per pound versus the feed prices were in your favor you made out big. Not a long term repeat option. We are fortunate and buy a steer at a time. Been buying from the same farmer (also a seed sales man) for years. We work out a fair price taking into consideration the market and long term relationship when a steer is bought. I don't want him to take a loss and he does not want take full advantage of the market with me. Don't know how the average person is feeding them selves these days.

Looks like Cargill and Tyson lost their price fixing lawsuit that was brought against them.

Got a slap on the wrist. Time for producers to also look into price fixing from the other side.

Agree.

Can remember back in the early 90's we bought butcher hogs for 20.00 a head and butchered them sold the meat at a dollar alb straight across the board hams,bacon,chops.alot of calves at the time were disposed of because you couldn't sell them.

Want to control what you get for your beef, then sell it direct to the consumer.

Lots of small producers do this, they control what they sell it for.
Not some large outfit.

We do but its still based on current markets. I need to pursue this more and get consistent customers who will pay a premium, right now we don't have the customer base for it that doesn't worry about competitive pricing.

Got a neighbor guy that sells a few cattle to people that don't know anything about the market.he sells them holsteins at beef prices are the day they get taken to the locker plant plus he charges whatever the prime prices are when he should be charging what choice prices are.

that is a cheap steak!!

I only eat steak when it is on sale and have never had a "prime" steak. most is "select"

We had 20 head at one time just for a hobby.
Sold them to go back to school and have never felt like spending the money to get back in.

I would love to buy some to run on grass and then feed out to slaughter one and sell the rest but too much to invest and not enough time to check, doctor, fix fence, etc

The trump administration has some good things going but they haven’t done much for the American farmer as of now besides harming them. We have 25,000 bushels of beans that we can’t do much with now except bin them

When the beef prices goes up that when I put 4 to 6 does on the ground.

After the Ukrain invasion and U.S tarrifs/embargoes China said openly they were going to invest in other countries to guarantee their food supply.

In response the U.S has also invested in other countries to guarantee china's food supply...

Yeah like helping out the boys done south for 20 billion or whatever it was

$31 billion in disaster aid paid to farmers earlier this year. Trump administration expected to announce 10 to 14 billion more coming soon.

And most of it will likely go to a handful of huge operators, same operators who have full time grant writers and the personal number of a lobbyist

When calves were being taken out back and shot, milk prices at $10.00 a 100, hogs were being buried out back, I didn't see Washington jump in to bring prices up. Now that I can make some money they want to drive prices down. I am a small time set up and do not get financial assistance of any sort.

Agreed

When you look up who is receiving subsidies in your area, it's never small livestock operators! You guys don't have the national corn and soybean associations pulling strings for you.

BUT, You will plant beans again next year.

You’re right I will but I’m cutting it down by quite a bit and risking it on other crops that might turn some money

I dont want to hear one grain farmer grousing about Trump and the tariffs, You all knew what the prices were last fall and even this spring when you planted. As far as beef prices, really the only ones getting the good return are the cow-calf guys, everyone else is just playing with margins.

Buffalo Livestock Marketing Sets 24 Barn Records — Best Calf Sale in Barn History 🔥🐄
Buffalo Livestock Marketing (Buffalo, WY) had a bang-up sale on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, setting 24 new barn records including all-time highs for 4-, 5-, and 6-weight cattle.
The barn posted the top three 4-weight sales in its history, led by 19 head at 415 lbs bringing $627.50, which ranks as the 6th-highest 4-weight sale in the United States, followed by 12 head at 440 lbs for $607.50 and 23 head at 433 lbs for $589.00.
The 5-weights were equally strong, with 8 of the top 10 all-time barn prices set during the sale, including 108 head at 514 lbs for $539.50 and 62 head at 525 lbs for $520.00, now the top two in barn history.
The 6-weight division also hit new highs, with 32 head at 617 lbs for $464.50 and 30 head at 613 lbs for $464.00, part of the top four 6-weight sales ever recorded at Buffalo. It was the best calf sale in barn history — congratulations to everyone at Buffalo Livestock Marketing.

Congratulations to the sellers, the buyers just lost thousands/tens of thousands due to Trumps market manipulation

Married into a farming family. If you are into the government aid trade you are not in control of a marketable entity.

The cows calf guys ( the actual producers ) have just been hanging on for years. This is where the main gamble, time and hard work takes place. It is about time and good to see them get well for now. Most every farmer/rancher buys everything at retail and is forced to sell at wholesale when the product matures. Might exclude grain farmers here do to the government subsidies. Grain stores quite well. Try storeing a critter or a head of lettuce. Most middle men can adjust there profits from what they paid. I have watched meat cutters at the grocery store with a big pile of hamburger on the table adding as much water to it that it will hold. The rancher sees none of that $5 water.

Another trick is to grind ice with it too.

They can legally add ice to patties but not ground beef labeled as 100% beef, don't buy the patties

one way to get premium prices is go all grass fed. Don't know if your situation would allow you, but its a possibility.

I have a buddy that until a couple of years ago he was doing grass fed.
His wife's health forced him to give up the cattle stuff.
Selling at farmers markets or whole, 1/2 or 1/4 cows/steers to customers.
He was trying to go organic but situations out of his control prevented that.

So he was selling his stuff with a grin as he described it as "Norganic".
Always got a response of whats Norganic?
"Near ORGANIC".

I am sure you know more about the cattle market then the ones that paid those prices. It sounds to me like you a crying about something that has not happened. Maybe just load them all and haul them to the ring is it is that bad. Record prices for live cattle and you are annoyed.

It's not prices that annoy me, I just didn't want to title the thread "Trump manipulating markets annoys me". Read the thread and you'll and you'll see the real complaint is manipulation.

Imagine the stock market roaring and doing well after years of losses and the president says "the market is to high, we're gonna fix that, we made a deal".

You could be completely honest and say you just wanted to whine about Trump, because everything farm related has been manipulated since before we've been around.

I'll praise him when he does well and criticize him when he screws up. That's what we should all be doing instead of pretending he's infallible.

Cattle were high before Trump was president.

Only 3 more loooooooong years and then you can blame a different one that fiddles with commodities.

With any luck we will get a conservative president for the first time in my life.

At least we finally have a President that understands business. The US Gubmint is the biggest business in the world.

I appreciate his immigration policy and sinking cartel boats. He's far better than Kamala, he's not conservative though and he's currently on the warpath with the few Republicans that are which may actually turn out to be a good thing for Conservatives.

How can Trump affect the beef market?

paraphrasing Trump said "Beef prices are to high, were working on that, I think we have a deal"

I'm assuming/hoping he comes out Monday and clarifies his comments because right now the market is wondering what the heck is going on.

I am thinking prices in Iowa have been different than in Northern WI then. While higher over the past four years they have doubled in the past year plus. In puts over that time were high as well so the profit margin was still small. As I stated previously Trump is not the reason for high beef prices. Supply is low and not going to rebound quickly, drought, retirements, screw worm in mexico.

Trump has sure had an effect on the soybean market.

Good lord. $6 or $7 a pound for hamburger is getting a bit ridiculous.

Well he is 100% correct beef prices are high. Lowering them would be good for people that want to buy beef.
The market will sort its self out when priced drive demand down prices will follow.

I can't think of a deal that can be made that will benefit American producers. I could be mistaken but sounds like a deal would be made outside the US to increse supply for less driving done prices making our producers compete with lowere prices at our required higher production cost. Its a lot more expensive to produce things in the US with all our government regs and red tape.
Maybe his deal will be reducing the red tape effectively lowering cost.

Sounds like he’s suggesting purchasing a bunch of beef from Argentina to increase supply in US to drive prices down. Lucky American producers. Lol

Soybeans 11/4/2024= 9.88-----------------soybeans today,10/20/25= 10.28, are you suggesting a positive affect?

We are lucky he put tariffs on canadian organic corn, US price went up 2 bucks a bushel. We are lucky he put tariffs on canadian plywood and lumber, dairy products etc., I would say for the most Americans things are going rather well. Notice our leader isnt going to canada for relief, quite the opposite.

but a coffee at the gas station is 2.40$, you can not eat at any fastfood for under 10$, property taxes are up 300% in last 15 years, Insurance rates up 100% in last 3 years. I think 7$ burger is a deal.

There are times the haters fail to have the facts before they start crying.

Yep, what a clownshow.

I sell freezer beef. I can seem to get people to buy 1/2 a steer or even 1/4 steer. They don't have the money. Now it's spilling over to pigs. I am taking 4 to market next week. 2 are sold but two have no home yet. Never had this before. These are pasture raised nice and fat and healthy.

You ever hear of Wesley Mouch? Who does’t love central planning?

That might be a price but our local elevators aren’t buying any

There is no hope.

I'm hoping it's this bill, which in various forms, I have posted about for several years.

https://www.blackburn.senate.gov/20...-red-tape-for-farmers-and-cut-meat-costs

A major reason meat is high is that a few corporations have a near monopoly on processing. This bill would break that.

Keith

It's been interesting to watch some of my friends and farm neighbors wake up to the fraud that was committed on them.

This guy doesn't give a crap about farmers. Or anyone else--other than himself and I guess his fellow grifter kids and friends.

Somebody is tired of all the winning.

Almost all commercial beef processing takes place at three processing plants in the US that are owned by the same conglomeration of mostly Chinese businesses.

My cousin built a processing plant starting construction in January of 2020 and it's still not up and running. He built it in wisc just across the Stateline road bordering illinois the reason being there was less red tape in wisc then illinois. He's supposedly only able to process his own animals.havent talked to him in quite awhile not sure what the holdup is.

Pre 2020 I bought a trailer $7,000 out the door, this summer I bought basically the same trailer $13,000. I accepted the fact we had to pay more because of Tariffs to make American Steel competitive. Fencing materials, gates, etc, same story. Now when it comes to my product that I produce here in the U.S were going to Argentina to drive down prices?

Heck no. Not when the entire China market is gone due to tariffs.
Did here this morning he was working on getting that trade back, though. Hope he can do so.

I was disappointed in Trump talking about cattle prices. The cow numbers are down for a bunch of reasons so beef is high. Stick to getting the trade wars done and most folks will be happy

Blaine county, you are incorrect. I happen to know a guy that is on speed dial with his son. He absolutely does care about farmers and small business folks.

We had the same situation with depressed commodity prices in the 2018 trade wars. What’s hurting us now is the trade wars plus high inflation still with us from Covid. I knew this would happen when I went and voted, so it’s no surprise to anyone around me.

I will say my patience is running a little thin hearing about world peace. Let’s get the trade deals done, deport some criminals and bring jobs back home.

Breaking up the big four will help everyone. And as long as the new world screw worm is a threat cattle prices are going to stay high

The screw worm definitely could be bad news. I’m following it pretty close. I’ve been encouraged the last couple years on the amount of packaging plants that have opened that aren’t the big 3-4. I believe a new one is up and running in Nebraska.

This is a very incorrect statement.

Shutting down import beef from south america and mexico has driven the recent prices. I wish more localized processing plants wete opend it would help alot

I wish we could have easier regulations selling direct to consumer and on farm butcher. USDA could have a template of a small, affordable shop that producers could build and sell from. I would love to have beef that never leave the farm and could be sold from the farm but the cost is exuberant and last time I tried to comprehend all the regulations for starting a small shop my brain melted.

Around here there are some "custom exempt" processors, mostly Amish and Mennonite .

They sell you the animal live and butcher it for you. Packages must be marked...not for sale.

They also do wild animals.

This is the guy Trumps campaigning against and wants replaced.

I wish it would be labeled where it came from like it used to be not just say it was usda inspected at least I had a choice if I wanted to buy it or not

Your 4 almost 5 hours away or I would take one of your pigs. Would be a good change up I have not raises any in 20 years but been talking about it the last 3. I started buying a beef each year again last year. 7 deer and one cow no telling how many chickens and small game went went through this year.

boys are filling the freezer back up with deer but I will need a cow by May im sure.

Any of you whiners look at your interest rates on your loans? How about your fuel bills? Trump talks about bringing down the price of beef for consumers and you get all teary. We have already hit consumer resistance level of price in stores and the shortage of replacements is driving feedlot prices, gonna be a wreck soon, Argentena beef or not.

Its also been reported that the Argentine beef would barely replace the beef we are NOT now getting from Mexico. I have a small beef herd and am enjoying the prices, but hating the volatility.

Ranchers get one paycheck a year, it comes in Oct or November usually and mid Oct Trump makes an announcement that cost them thousands of dollars. This on the heels of years of price fixing and manipulation, buncha whiners

Hi ! I’m from the Whitehouse and here to help!

It hasnt yet, Prices this week were higher than last, Trust me , I have been trying to buy.

I was wrong didn't realize so many had it so good from 2020-2024 instead of promises and delivery Trump should just say everythings good no problems and have people in blue/green hair and dresses around him

That's what Rand Paul has been pushing for years. The bill has been getting skipped over every session. There's to much money to be made in political donations from the big processors.

Keith

Sorry if it hits your bottom line, seriously.

But I can appreciate being able to afford some beef again....chicken legs and cheap pork gets stale after awhile...

Even I know this is wrong and I am not even from there. Tyson foods is your biggest, they're not Chinese, but they operate in China too.

Sidenote: Enjoyed a few days in MN Sat-yesterday, I enjoy some football. My gosh from clothing to fishing lures, to confectionary items, I see why many Americans are mad at inflation. Sheesh, I can't believe I used to buy fishing lures there at 50% the cost of here, now they are 150% the cost. Some of these lure companies are American companies too. Someone explain how I can buy a little cleo here for less in Canadian dollars than i can there in US dollars.