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Writer's pictureSteve Dittmer

Canadian Cattlemen Jun 9, 2021




Negotiated cash report, packer struggles


The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) reported on the first quarter of monitoring the share of U.S. cattle bought through negotiated cash vs. other procurement methods.


Not too surprisingly, there was good news and bad news, for those favouring more negotiated cash sales.


The regions that customarily sell more finished cattle through negotiated cash sales continued those trends. The regions that normally sell fewer cattle through cash sales sold a significantly higher percentage cash but not enough to hit the 75 per cent of targets. Furthermore, NCBA is close but still hasn’t finalized packer co-operation in providing the other side of cash sales negotiations.


Jerry Bohn, NCBA’s president, said their subgroup concluded that the Nebraska-Colorado and the Iowa-Minnesota regions exceeded their thresholds for all of the 13 weeks in the first quarter. The Texas-Oklahoma-New Mexico and Kansas regions fell short of their 75 per cent thresholds in five of 13 weeks. There were extenuating circumstances, however, a major winter storm shut down Texas for a time and a major plant was shut down for lengthy mandatory maintenance. Residual pandemic problems also contributed.


Regardless of outside factors, the subgroup concluded that a major trigger was tripped in the first quarter. If another major trigger is tripped in any remaining quarter this year, NCBA is to commit to some regulatory or legislative attempt to increase negotiated cash trade. While feeders offered more cattle for negotiated cash trade, sometimes at a loss compared to other channels, packers did not always participate.


In the Texas-Oklahoma-New Mexico region, negotiated trade exceeded both 2019 and 2020 every week but one of 13 weeks. Compared to 2020, the range was plus 2,000 to plus 8,000/week, with the peak negotiated trade of 15,000 in early March. The only time cash trade dipped below 2020’s numbers was the third week of March, equalling 2019’s level.


Bohn said feeders were to be congratulated for their efforts in significantly increasing the number of cattle offered for negotiated trade but they can only offer the cattle. Someone has to provide fair value on the other side of the trade before a transaction happens.


But significant improvements were made by the voluntary efforts. The industry as a whole seems to be taking seriously the major implications of government involvement in fed cattle marketing. This is a tough time to be attempting something this difficult, with the packing industry short of capacity compared to supply — and demand — on top of COVID difficulties...


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