Cow Country Reporter: April 2026
April began on Wednesday of “Holy Week” leading up to Easter Sunday and the ending of Lent. Historically, April cattle futures are the highest for Spring as the grilling season kicks off on Memorial Day. This year so far nothing is normal. Here in Louisiana our row crop farmers usually start planting corn in March. This year, because of dry conditions corn planting was mostly done by March 1 and then in Mid-March we had 3 days of temperatures in the 20’s and many fields had to be replanted.
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USDA Weighs Phased Reopening of Border as Cattle Supply Tightens
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins says that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is actively considering a phased reopening of the southern border to Mexican feeder cattle, as the agency continues to monitor the spread of New World screwworm.
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Screwworm Fears Are Reshaping the U.S. Cattle Feeding Industry
Mexican cattle exports fell off sharply in 2025, sending shockwaves through the North American beef supply chain and raising urgent questions about the long-term sustainability of U.S. cattle feeding operations.
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US Cattle Placements Increase Despite Tight Supplies
An ag economist says cattle placed into feedlots were up 4 percent from last year. Charley Martinez is with the University of Tennessee. “Part of the reason why we see that and kind of going against the trend that we saw last year,” he says. “I think drought’s really putting some pressure on folks throughout the country that we just can’t hold on to some of these animals.”
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Stock Show Spotlight: Showing Season Brings Together Communities Across the Southeast
From barns to show rings, producers and students say that livestock events offer economic opportunity and life lessons. Let’s take a look at some shows across the southeast in Georgia, Virginia, and Louisiana, showcasing the hard work and talents of rural youth in 4-H and FFA.
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Historic Strike at Colorado JBS Plant Threatens U.S. Cattle Industry
A historic labor strike at one of the country’s largest beef processing plants is sending early warning signs throughout the U.S. cattle and beef industry. Both producers and consumers may feel the impact.
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NCBA: False Animal Health Information Being Spread Online
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is aware of online rumors that allege a new or unknown animal disease is circulating in a feedlot in the Texas Panhandle. These claims are false. Animal health officials from USDA, state officials in Texas, along with leaders at Texas Cattle Feeders Association, have confirmed there is no such disease present.
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USDA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Advance New World Screwworm Preparedness with New Texas Sterile Fly Facility Contract
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) today announced a construction contract with Mortenson Construction to build a new sterile fly production facility at Moore Air Base in Edinburg, Texas. This facility is a key component in Secretary Rollins’ sweeping 5-prong strategy (PDF, 1005 KB) to fight New World Screwworm (NWS), as it will expand USDA’s domestic response capacity, bolstering protection for U.S. livestock, wildlife, and public health.
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Purina Livestock Scholarships Worth $30K Open March 18
Students with hands-on experience raising livestock, poultry, or equine will have an opportunity to earn financial support for college through the Purina Animal Nutrition Scholarship starting March 18, a program established by Land O’Lakes, Inc. to support the next generation of agricultural leaders.
The scholarship program awards up to 10 students each year with $3,000 scholarships to help cover undergraduate education expenses at accredited two-year or four-year colleges, universities, or vocational-technical schools in the United States.
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Franklin FFA Livestock Program Builds Skills, Confidence and Community
The show ring is packed with students putting their best foot forward for showmanship. When Jesse Daigle steps onto the dirt, he has his game face on.
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Arrest In St. Landry Parish For Theft Of Livestock
On February 26, the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry’s (LDAF) livestock brand inspectors arrested 35-year-old Meagan Breanna Byrd. Byrd was arrested on a warrant for two counts of theft of livestock.
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Champions Shine at 91st Annual LSU AgCenter Livestock Show
Louisiana 4-H and FFA livestock competitors from Homer to Houma and all points between came together to participate in the 91st annual LSU AgCenter Livestock Show from Feb. 14 to 21 at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales.
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On the Road to Better Beef: The 2026 Louisiana Farm Bureau Beef Tour Heads to Texas
The beef industry is evolving, and the producers who stay ahead are the ones willing to see what’s possible beyond their fence line.
The 2026 Louisiana Farm Bureau Beef Tour is quickly approaching, offering an eye-opening experience for not only cattle farmers, but those eager to learn more and network in Central and Eastern Texas.
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Louisiana Lawmakers Introduce Bills Targeting Lab-Grown Meat
On Wednesday, Louisiana State Senator Michael Fesi introduced Senate Bill 152, and on Thursday, State Representative Rodney Schamerhorn introduced House Bill 512, companion measures that would prohibit the advertising, manufacturing, distribution, and sale of lab-grown meat products for human consumption in the state. The bills define lab-grown meat as animal tissue grown from cells outside of a living animal.
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Livestock Brand Commission to Host Saddle Microchipping Event March 4
The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry’s (LDAF) Livestock Brand Commission will host a saddle microchipping event on Wednesday, March 4, from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M. It will be held at the Florida Parishes Arena located at 1301 NW Central Avenue, Amite, LA 70422.
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