Beef processing expansion coming during low point of cattle cycle

Jeff DeYoung
Feb 17, 2023
Feb 17, 2023

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack visited a Midwest packing company to see first hand the expanded meat processing capacity last November.
USDA file photo

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

Plans to increase beef processing capacity could face challenges with cattle numbers decreasing.

kAm“(6’C6 :? E96 5@H?EFC? @7 E96 42EE=6 4J4=6[ 2?5 ?F>36CD 2C6 E:89E[” D2JD {66 $49F=K[ tIE6?D:@? =:G6DE@4< >2C<6E:?8 64@?@>:DE H:E9 x@H2 $E2E6 &?:G6CD:EJ]k^Am

kAmr@>A2?:6D :? x@H2 2?5 |:DD@FC: 92G6 2??@F?465 A=2?D E@ 92G6 ?6H A=2?ED FA 2?5 CF??:?8 3J E96 6?5 @7 a_ac]k^Am

kAm%96 r2EE=6>6?’D w6C:E286 q667 r@>A2?J 7:?2=:K65 E96 AFC492D6 @7 2 `ba\24C6 D:E6 :? |:==D r@F?EJ[ x@H2[ :? =2E6 s646>36C] %96J A=2? E@ AC@46DD a[___ 9625 A6C 52J 2E E96 D@FE9H6DE x@H2 724:=:EJ] %96 D2=6 AC:46 H2D ?@E 5:D4=@D65]k^Am

kAm“x’> G6CJ 2AAC64:2E:G6 @7 E96 4@@A6C2E:@?[ 7=6I:3:=:EJ[ A2E:6?46 2?5 AC@76DD:@?2=:D> E92E E96 @H?6CD[ E96:C C6AC6D6?E2E:G6D 2?5 @77:4:2=D :? |:==D r@F?EJ 56>@?DEC2E65 E9C@F89@FE E9:D AC@46DD[” D2:5 AC:?4:A2= 56G6=@A6C r925 %6?E:?86C :? 2 4@>A2?J ?6HD C6=62D6]k^Am

kAm“{2?5 AFC492D6D 7@C AC@;64ED @7 E9:D D:K6 @7E6? E2<6 BF:E6 2 H9:=6 E@ 4@>A=6E6 2?5 E96J @7E6? 92G6 F?7@C6D66? 492==6?86D[ 3FE 6G6CJ@?6 H@C<65 E@86E96C G6CJ H6== 7C@> 52J @?6 2?5 E9C@F89 ?68@E:2E:@?D F?E:= 7:?2= 5@4F>6?ED H6C6 D:8?65]”k^Am

kAmp>6C:42? u@@5D vC@FA[ {{r 92D A=2?D E@ @A6? 2 ?6H A=2?E :? (2CC6? r@F?EJ[ |:DD@FC:[ 2?5 3C@<6 8C@F?5 :? 62C=J $6AE6>36C]k^Am

kAm“|:DD@FC: :D 23=6 E@ 4@>A6E6 7@C AC@;64ED @7 E9:D >28?:EF56 3642FD6 @7 @FC DEC@?8 28C:4F=EFC6 4@>>F?:EJ 2?5 3FD:?6DD\7C:6?5=J 64@?@>J[” D2:5 v@G6C?@C |:<6 !2CD@? :? 2 ?6HD C6=62D6] “pD 2 E9:C5\86?6C2E:@? 72C>6C 2?5 42EE=6>2? >JD6=7[ x <?@H 9@H 36?67:4:2= 92G:?8 2 4@>A2?J =:<6 p>6C:42? u@@5D vC@FA :? (2CC6? r@F?EJ H:== 36 7@C |:DD@FC:’D 72C>6CD 2?5 4@?DF>6CD]k^Am

People are also reading…

County school’s Easter parties created lasting memories
Virtual fence shows potential for producers
Fertilizer prices seasonally higher, rising globally
Couples partner to open Sasquatch Acres farmstand
Farmers visit Mexico ahead of USMCA talks
Defend Digestive Function to Protect Profitability
Brooks Chalky Butte Angus Ranch 2026 Production Sale
Upside Robotics builds robots with sensors to fertilize cornfields in tiny doses
2026 Farm Financial Stability loans overwhelm BND
Nations race to secure enough fertilizer
The sacrifice and perseverance of a ranch woman
EPA allows summer sales of E15 gasoline
Quality data, trust key to AI in agriculture
Eastern Iowa woman drawn to new foods and hobbies
Professional photographer captures unique perspective in life

kAm“(6 2C6 6I4:E65 E92E |:DD@FC: :D E96 A=2??65 =@42E:@? 2?5 C6>2:? 4@>>:EE65 E@ DFAA@CE:?8 E96 4@>A2?J 2D E9:D AC@;64E 4@?E:?F6D E@ 56G6=@A :? @FC DE2E6]”k^Am

kAm%96C6 2C6 A=2?D E@ 6IA2?5 @E96C D:E6D :? x@H2 2?5 }63C2D<2[ $49F=K D2JD]k^Am

kAm“pE E96 >@>6?E H6 92G6 256BF2E6 42A24:EJ[ 2?5 2D ?F>36CD 4@?E:?F6 E@ E:89E6?[ H6’C6 8@:?8 E@ D66 >@C6 3:5D 7@C 42EE=6[” 96 D2JD] “(6 2=D@ ?665 E@ C6>6>36C E92E 255:?8 A24<:?8 42A24:EJ 5@6D ?@E 92AA6? @G6C?:89E[ D@ :E’D 8@:?8 E@ 36 D6G6C2= J62CD 367@C6 H6 D66 2 >62?:?87F= 6IA2?D:@? @7 E96 4@H 96C5]”k^Am

kAm$49F=K D2JD E96 :?5FDECJ :D :? J62C ?:?6 @7 E96 4J4=6[ D@ :E H:== =:<6=J 36 2E =62DE EH@ J62CD 367@C6 E96C6 :D 2?J 8C@HE9 :? E96 4@H 96C5] w6 D2JD @E96C :E6>D DF49 2D 5C@F89E[ =23@C 2?5 :?AFE 4@DED 2=D@ 724E@C :?E@ E9@F89ED @7 6IA2?D:@?]k^Am

kAm&$sp 4@?E:?F6D E@ A@:?E E@ =@H6C ?F>36CD :? E96:C C6A@CED[ D2JD s6CC6== !66=[ tIE6?D:@? =:G6DE@4< >2C<6E:?8 64@?@>:DE H:E9 ~<=29@>2 $E2E6 &?:G6CD:EJ] u@C 6I2>A=6[ 42EE=6 @? 7665 ?F>36CD H6C6 5@H? bT @? y2?] `]k^Am

kAm{2C86 ?F>36CD @7 76>2=6D 92G6 2=D@ 366? D9:AA65 E@ E96 A24<:?8 A=2?E]k^Am

kAm“(6’G6 =6E ?F>36CD 86E D@ =@H E92E :E’D 8@:?8 E@ E2<6 =@?86C E@ C63F:=5 E9:D E:>6[” !66= D2JD]k^Am

kAmw6 D2JD A24<6CD 2?5 7665=@ED H:== =:<6=J D66 C65 :?< E9:D J62C 2D 4@>A6E:E:@? 7@C 42EE=6 364@>6D >@C6 :?E6?D6]k^Am

kAm“%96 4@H\42=7 8FJD 2C6 8@:?8 E@ 5@ AC6EEJ H6==[” !66= D2JD] “%96J’C6 :? E96 5C:G6C’D D62E 7@C E96 ?6IE 4@FA=6 @7 J62CD @C D@]”k^Am

kAmw6 25565 D>2==6C 42EE=6 ?F>36CD 4@F=5 2=D@ C6DF=E :? 2 A@DEA@?6>6?E @7 A=2?D E@ 6IA2?5 4FCC6?E AC@46DD:?8 42A24:EJ]k^Am