ANALYSIS: New Zealand Q3 2025 Beef Exports Tumble 4.5% YOY, Hit 11-Month Lows in Sept 2025

New Zealand’s beef exports in Sept 2025 retreated to the lowest level since October 2024, coming in at 27,811 metric tons (mt), according to the latest data from Stats NZ.

Falling by 6.0% month-on-month (M-O-M), outbound shipments were 1,788 mt lower, compared to August 2025, hampered by lower tonnage to the United States (US) and China, while exports to Japan, Korea, Canada...

ANALYSIS: Record Beef Prices and Reduced Cattle Supply in 2025 Are Reshaping the US Market

The 2025 US cattle slaughter pace continues to lag well below historical norms, marking one of the lowest levels for this period in over a decade. Weekly federally inspected slaughter rate is running roughly 7% under 2024, tracking near levels last seen in 2014–2015, when the US market faced a similar phase of herd contraction in...

Teamsters Secure Major Contract Victory for US Foods Drivers Across the South

Following the threat of a strike, more than 200 US Foods drivers across Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia have overwhelmingly ratified a new four-year collective bargaining agreement.

"We showed US Foods that we would not settle for less," said Glenn Tyler, a driver at US Foods and member of Local 71. "It feels great heading into work knowing we are protected and rewarded under such a strong Teamsters contract."

The workers, represented by Teamsters Locals 61, 71, and 391, won significant gains including wage increases...

ANALYSIS: Chicken Production Continues to Set New Watermark

2025 is shaping up as a landmark year for US chicken production. Cumulative ready-to-cook (RTC) tonnage has reached 34.4 billion pounds, surpassing any prior record and outpacing 2024 by 1.19 billion pounds. The weekly data also remains strong. For the week ending October 11, RTC tonnage hit 888 million pounds, which is 40 million pounds above the 5-year average. This theoretically equates to roughly 1,000 additional truckloads of production.

Far from a short-term spike, this production surge has created a dual reality: buyers enjoy abundant supply, while some sellers grapple with the challenges of managing exceptionally high...

ANALYSIS: Turkey Production Shortages Cloud Holiday Preparations

We are now just over five weeks away from Thanksgiving and the turkey and retail industries are trying to prepare. However, some members of the star team appear to be missing.

Whole turkeys are notably tight heading into November this year. While September’s USDA cold storage report has yet to be released, frozen holdings from March through August were situated at the lowest seasonal levels on record. Many processors are already reporting major shortages of production heading into the holiday season as the number of turkeys harvested year-to-date hovers at an all-time low...

Secretary Rollins Announces Plan for American Ranchers and Consumers

Today, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Small Business Administrator Kelly Loeffler announced a suite of actions to strengthen the American beef industry, reinforcing and prioritizing the American rancher’s critical role in the national security of the United States. Since 2017, the United States has lost over 17% of family farms, more than 100,000 operations over the last decade. The national herd is at a 75-year low while consumer...

AFBF Cautions Against Disrupting Fragile US Beef Supply

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented today on the future of America’s beef supply.

“Farm families are no different from other American families. We feel the impact of higher grocery costs, but don’t get to set the prices. Meanwhile, farmers are suffering through an economic storm – expenses remain high, and cattle farms have been decimated by years of low prices, drought and the threat of the New World screwworm. They are just beginning to experience a fragile recovery...

President Trump Undercuts America’s Cattle Producers

In a misguided effort to lower the price of beef in grocery stores, President Trump said he plans to increase the volume of beef being imported from Argentina. Efforts to manipulate markets only risk damaging the livelihoods of American cattlemen and women, while doing little to impact the price consumers are paying at the grocery store.

“The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and its members cannot stand behind the President while he undercuts the future of family farmers and ranchers by importing Argentinian beef in an attempt to influence prices,” said NCBA CEO Colin Woodall...

ANALYSIS: China’s Q3 2025 Meat Imports Tumble 3.9% YOY at 1.58M mt Amid Subdued Uptake

China imported 1,581,869 metric tons (mt) of meat, including variety meats in the third quarter of 2025, slumping 3.9% (63,689 mt) from a year ago, according to preliminary data from the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC).

The slowdown in China’s meat imports continued through Q3 as domestic production gains, heavy inventories, and a sluggish economy dampened buying appetite. Persistent trade frictions and the lingering impact of meat plant license suspensions linked to disease concerns and permit lapses also disrupted inflows, particularly...

Beyond Meat Back? Plant-Based Provider Expands at Walmart; Stock Jumps

As of October 21, the plant-based brand known for the pea-protein-based "Beyond Burger" will increase the availability of select products at over 2,000 Walmart stores across the US, according to a Beyond Meat press release.

This week, the Beyond Meat stock is headed skyward after the stock's large IPO and subsequent flatline. Beyond Meat is "surging more than 127% Monday in its best day ever after Roundhill Investments, which develops thematic ETFs, added the name to its Roundhill Meme Stock ETF (MEME)," reported CNBC...

The Retail Rundown: Poultry Promotions Pick Up Steam

Retailers are leaning into autumn demand with meat and poultry features this week, as consumers favor home-cooked meals and prepare for the holiday season.

With Thanksgiving a little more than five weeks away, early holiday promotions are starting to surface. Turkey features are gaining momentum, now accounting for 5% of total ad space, up two points from the previous week.

Retail buying opportunities for seafood and beef held steady week-over-week at 27.5% and 22.2%, respectively. Pork promotions dipped to 21.4% as National Pork Month wraps up, while chicken features rose to 19.4%.

Senate Agriculture Committee Advances Key Wildfire Bill

Today, the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee advanced the bipartisan and bicameral Fix Our Forests Act (FOFA) out of committee. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and Public Lands Council (PLC) support full Senate passage of this legislation that directs federal agencies to expand the use of livestock grazing to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire across the West.

“The established science is clear: grazing can reduce wildfire risk by up to 80 percent. Given the widespread risk of catastrophic wildfire, the federal government must better utilize grazing to combat the...

ANALYSIS: Avian Influenza Outbreaks in EU Accelerate in 2025, Surpassing Previous Year's Pace

The European poultry sector faces mounting pressure from a resurgent wave of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), with outbreak frequency significantly exceeding 2024 levels and raising critical supply chain concerns across member states.

On October 7, 2025, Dutch authorities ordered the culling of 71,000 chickens at a northern Netherlands facility following confirmed H5N1 detection, marking the country's first outbreak since March. The Dutch government has refrained from implementing nationwide indoor confinement measures. However, an expert animal disease panel is convening for a comprehensive risk assessment...

ANALYSIS: Record US Calf Weights Reflect Smaller Herds

Federally inspected live calf weights have reached record highs in 2025, averaging above 350 pounds through much of the spring and summer period, well above the three-year seasonal average near 290 pounds. The increase reflects producers feeding calves to heavier weights in response to tighter calf supplies and smaller national inventories. Throughout 2025, live weights have consistently tracked above previous years, with the sharpest divergence noted from March through August. This year’s weights have remained elevated even as temperatures moderate, suggesting continued efforts to maximize carcass yield and offset reduced slaughter...

China's Meat Output Rises Nearly 4% Through Third Quarter 2025 as Imports Fall

China’s meat sector rose 3.8% through the first three quarters of 2025, driven by strong domestic poultry output, while import volumes slumped, according to recently released data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). 

The broader economic picture shows that the world’s second-largest economy grew 4.8% during Q3, its slowest pace in a year, as weak domestic demand left China increasingly dependent on strong export activity. 

Although the growth rate keeps China on track for its roughly 5% annual target, economists question whether the momentum is sustainable, given the country's reliance on external demand amid trade tensions with the United States...

Spanish Amfresh Group Acquires Fruit Firm Terramara Fresh in Mexico from Rioblanco

The two firms have collaborated since 2022, Amfresh said. The Madrid-based firm Amfresh specializes in producing citrus, table grapes, blueberries, and cherries, among other fruits and juices.  

"This next step unlocks significant farming expansion in Mexico, enabling us to extend production windows and meet the growing global demand for high-flavoured, disease-resistant, and high-antioxidant varieties across our table grape, cherry, and blueberry platforms," Alvaro Muñoz, CEO of Amfresh Group, said.

ANALYSIS: EU Egg Product Market Faces Historic Highs Amid Tight Supply and Bird Flu Fears

As of mid-October 2025, the EU egg product market is under severe strain, with prices for dried whole egg, liquid, and dried yolk hitting record highs. A year of elevated shell egg costs, limited supply, and minimal inventory buildup has left the market exposed just as demand surges for the peak consumption season.

Unlike in previous years, the usual summer lull failed to ease prices, so September’s demand rebound only intensified pressure. Processors now face shrinking availability and soaring costs, particularly for...

ANALYSIS: Pork Trim Values Remain Historically High Despite Increased Availability

In October 2025, both fresh pork 42% trim and 72% trim values remain historically elevated for this time of year, though recent trading has shown softer tones as supplies improve on the spot market following summer. For the week ending October 13, 2025, 42% trim averaged $0.828/lb, while the 72% trim averaged $1.10/lb. Compared to this same week last year (October 16, 2024, at $0.717/lb for 42s and $0.928/lb for 72s), prices are higher by approximately 15.5% and 18.5%, respectively...

ANALYSIS: US Cage-Free Market Begins to Ascend

Since mid-July, the cage-free market has been on a steady decline, interrupted only by brief periods of stability. However, with renewed demand for eggs across the US as we enter Q4—and a healthy level of concern surrounding the growing prevalence of HPAI—market values have begun to push upward. 

Retail demand over the past few weeks has been generally average, but when multiple major chains reduced shelf prices to around the $2.50/dozen level or lower while some chains in other segments launched new promotional activity, consumers responded positively. This improvement coincides with cooler weather spurring baking interest, as well as elevated competing protein prices that continue to make eggs an attractive value...

M.C.I. Foods, Inc. Recalls Ready-To-Eat Breakfast Burrito and Wrap Products Due to Possible Listeria

M.C.I. Foods Inc., a Santa Fe Springs, Calif., establishment, is recalling approximately 91,585 pounds of specific lots of ready-to-eat (RTE) breakfast burrito and wrap products containing egg that may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes (Lm), the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The individually packaged and bulk packed frozen breakfast burritos and wraps were produced between September 17, 2025, and October 14, 2025. A list of the products subject to recall can be found here...

USDA Shares New World Screwworm Response Playbook

The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is announcing the availability of the New World Screwworm (NWS) Response Playbook. The playbook outlines key approaches, resources, and tools to implement animal health response activities in the event of a U.S. detection of NWS. 

“USDA continues to execute our five-pronged plan to keep NWS out of the United States,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins. “While we continue to aggressively protect the U.S. border and are working with Mexico to stop the pest from continuing to spread further north, we also have to ensure our domestic response plans are ready to activate if needed...

Navigating the Trump Tariff Turbulence: A Comprehensive Timeline

US President Donald Trump and his administration have paused reciprocal tariffs on most countries.

“Based on the lack of respect that China has shown... I am hereby raising the [tariff] charged to China by the [USA] to 125%, effective immediately,” wrote Trump on Truth Social at 1:18 pm ET. 

It’s not clear if this 125% is in addition to the 20% imposed on Chinese imports to the US. In early March, Trump noted that he would add another 10% tariff on Chinese goods...

ANALYSIS: Jumbo Boneless Breast Market Ends Q3 on a Rollercoaster of Prices

Jumbo boneless breast meat has had a rollercoaster of a year so far in the chicken market. Quotations started off the year only ten cents higher than the 5-year average, but by mid-April were more than $1.00 over the 5-year average and were only $0.28 or 9.3% under the seasonal high.

This was largely attributed to many participants in the fast-food industry building up large inventories of chicken in order to run chicken promotions later in the year as opposed to beef. At the same time, the industry was struggling with disease-related bird losses due to HPAI and avian metapneumovirus...

ANALYSIS: Low US Slaughter Drives New Seasonal Pattern in Chuck Rolls

The Choice Chuck Roll market experienced an unusually early and aggressive rally in 2025, with prices climbing sharply from late July through early September, well ahead of the typical seasonal upturn seen in late August or early October. This year’s rally peaked more than 60% above early-summer lows, driven by strong forward buying and limited spot market availability as packers operated under reduced slaughter schedules.

Weekly federally inspected slaughter has consistently run below year-ago levels, most recently totaling 547,000 head, the lowest for this...

ANALYSIS: A 2021 Pattern Emerges for the US Choice Cutout in 2025

Since June, Expana's Choice cutout has shown decreases of 8–10% and gains of 9–13%. The last time values fluctuated this much during the same time frame was in 2021, when they declined by roughly 16% and increased by 25%. While the swings in 2021 were more volatile, the overall pattern remains similar, even when comparing data going back to January. In 2021, there was about a 55% uptick from January to June, whereas in 2025, the same period saw a 24% rise. Again, although the degree of volatility differs, the pattern is comparable.

Current sentiment around the cutout points to steadiness with slightly...