Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Outlook provides monthly analysis of current developments in the livestock and poultry industry, providing data on animal numbers, meat and egg production, prices, trade, and net returns. Beef is a featured commodity in February, May, August, and November.

Annual summaries of the forces that shaped the animal products industries during the previous year and how those forces are expected to affect the current year's outlook are available from the Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Outlook page. Instead of providing a separate report covering all the commodities once a year, we will release summaries for the various commodities in the newsletter as information becomes available.

U.S. 2003 and 2004 Livestock and Poultry Trade Influenced by Animal Disease and Trade Restrictions discusses how animal diseases and disease-related trade restrictions have influenced trade in animal products in the past few years, with an emphasis on 2003 and forecasts for 2004. Disease outbreaks and related trade restrictions have slowed previously expected high growth in many U.S. animal product exports, with U.S. beef exports most affected.

Live Cattle Exports from Mexico into the United States highlights research on the origins and destinations of Mexican cattle imported into the United States. Recent animal disease outbreaks, food safety issues, and the possibility of agricultural terrorism raise concerns about the need for information on movements of agricultural products into and within the United States. Livestock and meat are of special concern, given the potential human health and economic impacts of diseases.

Beef and Pork Values and Prices Spreads Explained examines how marketing costs affect livestock and meat prices in the short and long run. Slow price adjustment explains most of the month-to-month changes in beef and pork price spreads.

Savvy Buyers Spur Food Safety Innovations in Meat Processing finds that the market incentives that motivate private firms to invest in food safety innovation seem to be fairly weak. Results from an ERS survey of U.S. meat and poultry slaughter and processing plants and two case studies of innovation in the U.S. beef industry reveal development of a number of mechanisms to overcome that weakness and to stimulate investment in food safety innovation. For the full report, see Food Safety Innovation in the United States: Evidence from the Meat Industry.

Food Traceability: One Ingredient in a Safe and Efficient Food Supply describes the results of an investigation into the amount, type, and adequacy of traceability systems in the United States, focusing on the cattle/beef, fresh produce, and grain sectors. The investigation finds that these systems vary across industries as firms balance the private costs and benefits to determine the efficient level of traceability. For the full report, see Traceability in the U.S. Food Supply: Economic Theory and Industry Studies.

Country-of-Origin Labeling: Theory and Observation examines the economic rationale behind the various claims about the effect of country-of-origin labeling and indicates that mandatory country-of-origin labeling would likely generate more costs than benefits. Voluntary country-of-origin labeling is an option, but food suppliers have generally discounted the U.S. label as a quality attribute that can attract sufficient consumer interest.

International Trade of Meat/Poultry Products and Food Safety Issues uses case studies to evaluate the international trade implications of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or mad cow disease), foodborne pathogens (e.g., salmonella), and certain production practices (e.g., drug use for growth promotion) in exporting countries.

Many factors determine the Structure of the Global Markets for Meat, including the relative availability of resources for raising and processing animals for meat. Preferences for various cuts of meat among countries provide opportunities for international trade.

Interstate Livestock Movements analyzes livestock marketing patterns. As part of the overall meat production system, livestock movements affect profits for livestock owners, what consumers pay at the supermarket and restaurant, and potential for spread of animal diseases.

Manure Management for Water Quality evaluates the costs of spreading manure on cropland at the farm, regional, and national levels. EPA regulations enacted in February 2003 require concentrated animal feeding operations (generally the largest producers of hogs, chicken, dairy, and beef cattle) to meet nutrient application standards when spreading their manure on cropland in order to preserve water resources from nitrogen and phosphorus runoff. USDA is encouraging all animal feeding operations to do the same. If all operations meet the new standards, increases in production costs could be felt throughout the food and agricultural system.

Where's the Beef? Small Farms Produce Most Cattle examines the characteristics of small cattle farms. Small operations produce the majority of beef cattle in the United States, and control 74 percent of land dedicated to beef cattle production. Differences among these small operations and with large ones have implications for farm policy.

Controversies in Livestock Pricing discusses the effect on producer prices resulting from changes in industry structure and pricing methods.

U.S. Beef Industry: Cattle Cycles, Prices Spreads, and Packer Concentration explains the trends and dynamics of the cattle cycle and price spreads in the 1990's and examines the effect of meatpacking industry concentration.

Decline in Cattle Inventory to Continue discusses the current decline in cattle inventory as it relates to the cattle cycle and the recent drought.

Heifer Liquidation Continues to Support Beef Production Gains discusses beef production and prices as well as forecasts through 2000.

Consolidation in Meatpacking: Causes and Concerns details the reasons behind U.S. meatpacker concentration, along with outcomes and potential economic concerns.

for more information, contact: Ronald Gustafson
web administration: webadmin@ers.usda.gov
page updated: July 7, 2004