NAMI and NPPC Urge the USDA and Congress to Address Port Challenges

With delays and congestion at U.S. ports hurting U.S. agriculture exports like meat and poultry products, the North American Meat Institute (NAMI) and the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) are urging U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and Congress to confront the crisis.

The issue at hand is the continued behavior of ocean carriers to decline to carry U.S. agriculture commodity exports and instead return empty containers to Asian markets to fill them with more lucrative consumer goods to export back to the United States. Also, NAMI claims that ocean carriers and marine terminal operators are...

Urner Barry Releases June Soy & Wheat Protein Report

Average all-wheat prices increased $0.18/bu from March while average soybean prices increased as well by $0.70/bu. June front
month futures decreased from May’s rates. CBOT wheat front month futures reached $6.83/bu in June, a slight decrease of $0.27
from May. Also, CBOT soybeans totaled $15.47/bu in June, representing a decline of $0.25/bu from the month prior...

NRF Calls on White House to Address Port Congestion Challenges

The National Retail Federation delivered a letter to the White House asking to meet with President Biden and other top administration officials regarding the challenges retailers are facing from continued supply chain disruptions that are leading to congestion at U.S. ports.

The letter from NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay states, “The supply chain disruption issues, especially the congestion affecting our key maritime ports, are causing significant challenges for America’s retailers. The congestion issues have not only added days and weeks to our supply chains but have led to inventory shortages impacting...

Strong Momentum Continues for U.S. Beef and Pork Exports

Following a record-breaking March performance, exports of U.S. beef and pork continued to build momentum in April, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF).

April exports of U.S. beef set another new value record at $808.3 million, up 35% from a year ago, with export volume reaching 121,050 metric tons (mt) – up 23% year-over-year and the fifth largest on record. For beef muscle cuts, exports were the third largest ever at 94,656 mt (up 21%), valued at a record $726.7 million (up 36%). For January through April, beef exports moved 5% ahead of last year’s pace at 454,398 mt, with value up...

Urner Barry Releases June Pulse Protein Report

On June 1, the USDA reported an average $33.00/cwt for U.S. #1 garbanzo beans compared to $30.00/cwt at the end of May. This represents a month-over-month decrease of $3.00/cwt. U.S. whole green peas averaged $11.00/cwt as of early June, a slight...

Retail Cargo Continues Setting Records as Supply Chains Struggle to Keep Up with Consumer Demand

Imports at the nation’s largest retail container ports saw their busiest April on record and May could turn out to have set a new all-time record as vaccines allowed consumers to return to normal shopping patterns, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

“Vaccine rates are increasing, shoppers are back in stores and retail supply chains are working overtime,” NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold said. “There’s no shortage of demand from consumers, but there continue to be shortages of labor, equipment and shipping capacity to...

ANALYSIS: Price Inflation Across All Urner Barry Indices

Price inflation remains top of mind for many. Supply constraints across all proteins combined with robust demand has...

Beef Quarterly Q2 2021: Record Prices, but Will They Last?

Many key beef production and consumption areas across the world are currently experiencing high or record prices for beef or cattle. We explore what is driving this and whether it will last. There are also several other issues affecting global beef markets at present.

Covid-19

The rollout of vaccines, the transition to robust economic growth, and the advance of the northern hemisphere summer see many areas experiencing lower Covid case numbers and higher economic activity. With restrictions being eased, foodservice sales are also...

PODAST: UK Beef Chats Episode 18

This week on UK Beef Chats, Mike Nesbitt gives us an update on UK foodservice reopening and how it's helping rebalance the market, affecting EU Imports and Exports, and more!

Fourth UK Beef Processing Site Gains Access to US Market

A fourth processing site in the UK has won approval to export its beef to the US – marking a major leap forward for the business and for the red meat sector as a whole.

Foyle Food Group in Gloucester is now listed on the official ‘USDA Approved’ list, which means commercial exports of beef can commence with immediate effect.

It comes after extensive work by the company with support from AHDB, Defra, the Food Standards Agency and...

Summer is Almost Here and UB Has the Scoop on Market Trends Heading into MDW

Urner Barry is the leading provider of protein market news and information in the food industry. Through daily canvasses of the trade and an unrivaled historical database, our analysts are uniquely positioned to report on the underlying conditions and significant disruptors to the market. In this Market Briefing, Urner Barry reporters outline the latest action in the commodity protein markets, highlighting seasonal factors, disruptors, and current supply and demand fundamentals.

Access the latest UB Market Briefing HERE...  

Study: 21 Million U.S. Jobs Depend on Imports

The National Retail Federation joined eight other business organizations to release “Imports Work for American Workers,” an economic impact study which found that imports support more than 21 million American jobs.

The study focuses on the net impact of imports on U.S. jobs — including statistics on sectors such as retail, apparel, transportation, manufacturing and consumer technology. The study also looks at how imports support jobs in states across the U.S. as well as trade policy initiatives pending before...

Urner Barry Releases May Emerging Plant Protein Report

This month, the USDA released its first World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) projections for the 2021/22 U.S. rice balance sheet and for the global rice market. For the United States, production is projected at 203.6 million cwt, down almost 11% from a year ago, a result of smaller plantings. However, that projection is still well above the 2019/20 rice crop. The 24 million cwt decline is the result of...

Urner Barry Releases May Soy & Wheat Protein Report

In March, farmers experienced a decline in prices for their soybean and all-wheat crops. Average all-wheat prices decreased $0.97/bu from February while average soybean prices declined $4.23/bu. May front month futures increased from April’s rates. CBOT wheat front month futures reached...

Retail Cargo Imports Set New Record as Economy Recovers

Imports at retail container ports hit a new record this spring and volume during the first half of 2021 is expected to be a third higher than last year as the economy continues to recover from the pandemic, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

“Despite the continuing pandemic, most consumers are in good financial health and aren’t hesitating to spend,” NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold said. “More spending translates into more merchandise arriving at our ports as retailers continue to meet...

Record-Breaking Performance for U.S. Beef and Pork Exports in March

U.S. red meat exports ended the first quarter on a very high note, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), with March beef and pork exports each posting the highest monthly value on record. Pork exports and shipments of beef muscle cuts also set new volume records in March.

Beef exports totaled 124,808 metric tons (mt) in March, up 8% from a year ago and the second largest of the post-BSE era. Export value broke the $800 million mark for the first time at $801.9 million, up 14% year-over-year. Beef muscle cut exports set new monthly records for both volume (98,986 mt, up 13% from a year ago) and value ($718.3 million, up 17%). For the first quarter, beef exports pulled even with last year’s pace at...

ANALYSIS: Q1 Chicken Exports End on a High Note

After a choppy start to Q1, the USDA’s most recent export figures lend credence to the increased confidence that buyers...

Lawmakers Seek Level Playing Field for U.S. Pork Producers in Vietnam

More than 70 U.S. lawmakers sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai seeking her support for enhanced Vietnamese market access for U.S. pork. Vietnam represents a tremendous opportunity for U.S. pork exports, and the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) appreciates the tremendous support for one of its top trade priorities.

“We thank the lawmakers, led by Reps. Ron Kind (D-Wis.), Darin LaHood (R-Ill.), Jim Costa (D-Calif.) and Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), for their support in recognizing the importance of the Vietnamese market to U.S. pork producers,” said NPPC President Jen Sorenson, communications director for Iowa Select Farms in West Des Moines, Iowa. “Vietnam represents a significant opportunity for...

Low Parana River Level 'Trims' Argentine Farm Exports

Argentina's Parana River, the grains superhighway that takes soy and corn from the Pampas farm belt to the world, has gotten so shallow that it has started "trimming" international shipments just as the country's export season gets underway.

The level of the Parana at the export hub of Rosario, home to some of the biggest soy crushing plants in the world, was a scant 0.90 meters on Wednesday, according to the Coast Guard.

Between 1996 and 2020 the median depth of the river at Rosario in April was a much deeper...

Urner Barry Releases May Pulse Protein Report

On April 29, the USDA reported an average $30.00/cwt for U.S. #1 garbanzo beans compared to $28.00/cwt at the end of March. This represents a month-over-month increase of $2.00/cwt. North American green peas experienced a decrease from early April rates, and are now steady with prices seen in mid and late March. U.S. whole green peas averaged $10.50/cwt as of the end of April, a slight decrease of $0.50/cwt from mid-April rates. Purchases of North American yellow peas for animal feed in China have...

Pork Quarterly Q2 2021: Production Setbacks Slow Growth, Boosting Prices and Returns

Global hog prices are sharply higher in most markets, as processors scramble to find adequate supplies. Higher disease losses in key growing regions, along with the lagged impact of industry liquidation during the pandemic, have limited available hog supplies. Rabobank expects a gradual recovery in the herd, yet higher raising costs and demand uncertainty are expected to moderate the pace of growth. Lower production expectations have left the market short of pork, just as demand is beginning to strengthen. The imbalance is driving pork prices sharply higher in many markets, which is slowly being passed through to consumers, contributing to overall inflationary trends.

China: Herd losses due to new ASF outbreaks and health challenges are slowing the recovery. While below earlier expectations, the sow herd is flat vs. 2020 and will expand through year-end as...

ANALYSIS: Pork Ribs Looming Near Historical Highs

Demand on all three fronts; retail, foodservice, and exports combined with labor constraints, diminished slaughter, and limited freezer stocks has supported...

COMTELL Insights Spotlight: Future-Proofing the Supply Chain FaQ

Available on the COMTELL Platform and brought to you by Urner Barry Insights

If you’re in the food business, you’re probably wondering about future-proofing the supply chain. Given what we’ve seen over the last year—and what we’re still contending with—the task of managing supply chains has become more challenging than ever (and it was no picnic before, we know!). That’s why Urner Barry is bringing together exclusive Insights through original reports, interviews, videos and podcasts in a special April Spotlight dedicated to the biggest supply chain issues the industry is currently facing.

This Spotlight, Future-Proofing the Supply Chain, will take place April 26-30^th, 2021, and can be accessed through Urner Barry Insights on the COMTELL platform.

Segments will include...

ANALYSIS: Although February Pork Exports Declined; Strong Demand Lingers

According to the most recent USDA Pork Export Report, exports of U.S. pork remained generally strong in February, even as...

Urner Barry Release April Emerging Plant Protein Report 

According to the USDA’s Rice Outlook for April, the first survey-based indication of 2021/22 U.S. rice acreage puts plantings at 2.71 million acres, down 11% from a year prior. Total domestic and residual use was lowered by 2 million cwt, totaling 158 million cwt, which is still the highest on record. The supply and use revisions resulted in a 3.5 million cwt increase in the 2020/21 ending stocks forecast for a total...

ANALYSIS: Turkey Production and Cold Storage-As Goes One

In recent months, the turkey complex has experienced a surprising level of price volatility, most of which has pointed towards the upside...

Tyson Foods Joins Cattle Traceability Program

Tyson Fresh Meats, the beef and pork subsidiary of Tyson Foods, Inc., is putting its support behind a cattle disease traceability program called U.S. CattleTrace.

This makes Tyson the first beef processor to invest in membership in the program, which was formed by multiple state cattlemen’s organizations to develop a national infrastructure for animal disease traceability in the U.S. cattle industry. The program is expected to assist animal health officials with an effective and quick disease response within the U.S. cattle herd in the event of a foreign animal disease occurring in the U.S., which is...

Special Spotlight to Take Place on Future-Proofing the Supply Chain, April 26-30th

Available on the COMTELL Platform and brought to you by Urner Barry Insights

If you’re in the food business, you’re probably wondering about future-proofing the supply chain. Given what we’ve seen over the last year—and what we’re still contending with—the task of managing supply chains has become more challenging than ever (and it was no picnic before, we know!). That’s why Urner Barry is bringing together exclusive Insights through original reports, interviews, videos and podcasts in a special April Spotlight dedicated to the biggest supply chain issues the industry is currently facing.

This Spotlight, Future-Proofing the Supply Chain, will take place April 26-30^th, 2021, and can be accessed through...

Urner Barry Releases April Soy & Wheat Protein Report

In February, farmers experienced another consecutive month of increased prices for their soybean and all-wheat crops. Average all wheat prices rose $0.35/bu from January while average soybean prices rose $1.80/bu. April front month futures are mixed, with a reduction for CBOT wheat from February rates. CBOT wheat front month futures reached $6.15/bu in April, a decline of $0.21/bu from March. Meanwhile, CBOT soybeans remained steady from February rates, totaling...

ANALYSIS: Bellies Travel Upward into PEDv Levels

Bellies have done little but march higher since the beginning of 2021. Currently, rekindled interest at foodservice locations as some states relax COVID-19 restrictions, along with...

February Red Meat Exports Below Last Year, but 2021 Outlook Remains Strong

February exports of U.S. beef and pork remained below the rapid pace established in early 2020, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). However, exports were consistent with USMEF’s February projections and the federation still expects 2021 beef exports to increase substantially year-over-year, while pork exports are projected to narrowly surpass the 2020 record. ​

Beef exports totaled 103,493 metric tons (mt) in February, down 8% from a year ago, valued at $669.5 million (down 2%). This was due mainly to a decline in variety meat exports, as beef muscle cuts were steady with last year in value at $597.9 million on a volume of 82,530 mt (down 3%). Through February, beef exports were...

Australian Beef Seasonal Outlook: Green Grass and Empty Pens

With breeding cattle inventory recovering from the lowest levels in over 30 years, there’s a unique opportunity to assess and then act on the future for the Australian beef industry. A number of challenges currently confront the Australian beef industry, including high cattle prices, low supplies, and China trade access. Australia’s position in the global protein world needs to be considered in rebuilding the herd.

Is Australia to be a supplier to high-quality niche markets, commodity supplier (of lean beef) to global trade, exporter of live cattle, or exporter of value-added beef to trade markets? “Any or all of these options may apply, but choosing one sets a path for the future. Decisions taken this year are not just about...

Retail Import Surge Expected Through Summer

The unprecedented surge of imports at retail container ports that began last summer is expected to continue at least through the end of this summer as retailers work to meet increased consumer demand, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

“We’ve never seen imports at this high a level for such an extended period of time,” NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold said. “Records have been broken multiple times and near-record numbers are happening almost every month. Between federal stimulus checks and money saved by staying home for the better part of a year, consumers have money in their pockets and...

NPPC Applauds the Philippines' Decision to Import More Pork

To combat rising pork prices and stabilize supplies, the Philippine government announced it will provide more market access for pork imports. Securing better access to the Philippines market has been a top, long-term trade priority for the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC).

“Since 2019, the Philippines has been battling African swine fever (ASF), and as a result, domestic production has declined, supplies have tightened, and pork prices have spiked,” said NPPC President Jen Sorenson, communications director for Iowa Select Farms in West Des Moines, Iowa. “While we are saddened by the spread of...

Urner Barry Releases April Pulse Protein Report 

On March 31, the USDA reported an average $28.00/cwt for U.S. #1 garbanzo beans compared to $21.50/cwt in early February. This represents a month-over-month increase of $6.50/cwt. North American green peas also experienced price increases from February rates. U.S. whole green peas averaged $10.25/cwt as of the end of March, a slight increase of $0.75/cwt from February rates. Purchases of North American yellow peas for animal feed in China have contributed to another consecutive month of increased yellow pea prices. The USDA reported an increase of...

ANALYSIS: Pork Ribs Soar into April

Pork ribs traditionally witness a rally starting in April which extends into the summer months as increased demand for grilling reaches its peak. This year however...

Rong Shing Trading Recalls Ineligible Beef Products Imported from China

Rong Shing Trading Inc., a Brooklyn, N.Y. firm, doing business as Double R Trading Inc., is recalling approximately 3,365 pounds of Chinese style hot pot base products containing beef tallow. The products were imported from the People’s Republic of China, a country ineligible to export beef to the United States, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The Chinese style hot pot base products were imported on or around February 14, 2020. The following products are subject to recall...

Poultry Quarterly Q2 2021: The Bumpy Road to Recovery

The outlook for the global poultry industry is gradually improving, but big differences remain between countries, and global poultry trade is still very competitive. The industry is facing major challenges due to Covid-19-related market disruption, very high and volatile feed prices, avian influenza (AI) in the northern hemisphere, and volatility coming from a bumpy recovery in countries affected by African swine fever (ASF). Key for producers will be to have a very disciplined supply growth, a focus on cost reduction via procurement, production efficiency, and feed formulation, as well as being prepared for big swings in demand driven by Covid-19-related government decisions.

As countries reopen foodservice, and while their control of Covid-19 improves, the poultry industry will start to recover. On average, 35% of global poultry consumption is via foodservice. “In countries where several of these disruptive factors come together, broiler prices have risen to high levels. Some governments have started to...

U.S. Top Chicken and Turkey Exporter to China

The U.S. was the top exporter of chicken and turkey to China in the first two months of the new year, according to newly released data from the General Administration of Customs China (GACC).

In January, the U.S. surpassed Brazil for the third consecutive month as the leader for broiler imports by China with a total of 56,214 tons, compared to 51,290 tons by...