ANALYSIS: Texas Cattle Grading Prime Hits Record High in 2025

According to the USDA’s National Steer and Heifer Estimated Grading Report, Texas has reached a record high, with roughly 9% of steers and heifers grading Prime. Historically, Prime grading follows a seasonal pattern, climbing from January through late spring, early summer, before tapering off during the hotter months and into winter. However, 2025 appears to be deviating slightly from this trend for Texas specifically. Rather than peaking, Texas continues to report incremental gains, now sitting 21% above year-ago levels. This raises the question...

Bill Aims to Protect Texas Livestock from Screwworm Threat

A bill introduced in Congress aims to safeguard livestock and wildlife in Texas and the U.S. from the New World screwworm, a destructive pest that once devastated ranches across the southern U.S.

U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz (R-Texas) authored the New World Screwworm Preparedness Act to direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to conduct a comprehensive study on screwworm surveillance and prevention efforts. The bill also requires USDA to recommend improvements that would strengthen the nation’s ability to respond to a potential outbreak...

Sysco and Teamsters Face Off in Houston: Strike Looms as Contract Deadline Nears

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) have threatened strikes across multiple states if their demands are not met with foodservice distribution giant Sysco and other major food distributors and retailers.

The most pressing issue between the two sides is focused in the Houston area as the contract between IBT’s Teamsters Local 988, which represents truck drivers in the city, is preparing to strike if it cannot reach a new contract agreement with Sysco Houston before the current deal expires on January 17...