The return of drought in U.S. cattle-producing areas is delaying ranchers' plans to expand production after the nation's herd shrank to its smallest level in seven decades, farmers and analysts said.

Return of US drought delays cattle-herd rebuilding, hurting Tyson Foods

Speedy US corn and soy harvests strain farmers, storage capacity
Many Midwestern farmers still have grain left in storage from 2023 due to low prices
U.S. farmers are harvesting two of the largest corn and soybean crops in history at the fastest pace in years, straining their physical capabilities and their grain storage capacity. The massive influx of crops is testing growers who are already grappling with grain prices near four-year lows, stiff competition for global export sales and farm incomes that are down 23 per cent from a record high just two years ago.

U.S. livestock: CME lean hog, live cattle futures end mostly lower
Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures closed mostly lower on Friday, pressured by government data showing the U.S. hog herd expended two per cent during the last quarter as well as worries about a potential strike at U.S. ports next week, analysts said. Some 45,000 union workers could walk off the […] Read more

U.S. grains: Soy futures soar on US weather woes
U.S. soybean futures hit their highest in two months on Friday as soymeal futures surged by five per cent on worries about damage to crops and infrastructure in the Gulf Coast region following the landfall of Hurricane Helene as well as short-covering ahead of key crop reports due Monday.

U.S. livestock: Cattle close mostly lower, consolidating after 2-month top
Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures ended mostly lower on Wednesday, consolidating a day after the benchmark December contract LCZ25 set a near two-month high.

U.S. grains: Wheat turns higher on Russia weather worries; soy, corn also rally
U.S. wheat futures turned higher on Wednesday as worries about crop prospects in top global exporter Russia sparked a round of short-covering, analysts said.

U.S. livestock: CME cattle end mostly higher as Wall Street climbs
Benchmark December live cattle futures LCZ24 on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange climbed to their highest in nearly two months on Tuesday, supported by technical buying and a rosy outlook for beef demand tied to strength in Wall Street equity markets, analysts said.

U.S. grains: Soybeans hit 2-month high before paring gains; corn, wheat sag
U.S. soybean and corn futures climbed to two-month highs on Tuesday, following broad gains in commodity and equity markets after China unveiled economic stimulus measures, but pared gains as forecasts called for improved crop weather in South America, analysts said.

U.S. grains: Soybeans climb on supply risks, short-covering; corn, wheat also up
Chicago Board of Trade soybean futures hit nearly a seven-week high on Monday as uncertainty about Brazilian planting weather and the size of the U.S. harvest sparked a round of fund-driven short-covering, analysts said.

U.S. grains: Corn ends higher despite USDA raising US yield outlook
Chicago Board of Trade corn futures ended higher on Thursday, rebounding from a drop to near two-week lows after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) raised its estimate of the U.S. corn crop, traders said.