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.
Tight supplies and strong demand have pushed beef prices and producer profitability to historic highs. After peaking in 2025, CattleFax analyst Kevin Good forecasts prices will see a modest correction while fundamentals remain strong.
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.
Meat Institute report analyzes the state of beef cattle markets and points out current pricing myths.
Although warning signs are emerging, economists say record-high beef prices could hold for up to two more years. Tight supplies and strong demand continue to drive the market, but economists and producers are apprehensive with talks of reopening the border.
Economist Dan Basse predicts a bullish outlook for the beef industry, with projected 2025 revenue of $113 billion — compared with $57 billion for corn.
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Angie Stump Denton

Editorial Leader, Drovers

Angie Stump Denton is the Drover’s editorial lead at Farm Journal. A third-generation cattle producer, she has spent three decades involved in cattle industry communications and marketing. Before joining Drovers, she was a communication coordinator at Kansas State University’s animal sciences and industry department and served as the Beef Improvement Federation communication coordinator.