Cattle Herd Hits Record Low, Prolonging High Beef Prices for Consumers
The latest U.S. cattle tally offered little relief for consumers paying record beef prices, even as the cycle of herd liquidation seems to be coming to an end.
There were about 94.2 million cattle and calves in the U.S. as of July 1, the lowest mid-year count on record in data going back to 1973, the Department of Agriculture said in a report. The number of animals placed in feedlots for weight gain before being sent to slaughter plunged to the lowest since 2017, the USDA said in a separate note.
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United States Cattle Inventory Report
There were 94.2 million head of cattle and calves on U.S. farms as of July 1, 2025, according to the Cattle report published today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). This is the first July cattle inventory report since July 2023.
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President Trump Opens Australian Market To U.S. Beef In Win For American Cattlemen
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) announced that for the first time in 20 years, Australia will accept shipments of fresh and frozen U.S. beef, ending decades of bureaucratic red tape and prolonged negotiations that have prevented American cattle producers from accessing the Australian market. NCBA thanks President Donald J. Trump for delivering yet another trade win for America’s cattle farmers and ranchers.
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Almosta Ranch Offering Camp that Teaches Kids how to Properly Care for Farm Animals
Almosta Ranch, a farm located in Calcasieu Parish, is just a thirty-minute drive from downtown Lake Charles, where kids ages five and up can experience life in the country.
Each day of the camp centers around a new animal and gives kids a full experience from going inside their pens, to feeding and, of course, petting them.
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Secretary Rollins Takes Decisive Action and Shuts Down U.S. Southern Border Ports to Livestock Trade due to further Northward Spread of New World Screwworm in Mexico
Tuesday, Mexico’s National Service of Agro-Alimentary Health, Safety, and Quality (SENASICA) reported a new case of New World Screwworm (NWS) in Ixhuatlan de Madero, Veracruz in Mexico, which is approximately 160 miles northward of the current sterile fly dispersal grid, on the eastern side of the country and 370 miles south of the U.S./Mexico border. This new northward detection comes approximately two months after northern detections were reported in Oaxaca and Veracruz, less than 700 miles away from the U.S. border, which triggered the closure of our ports to Mexican cattle, bison, and horses on May 11, 2025.
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Grassroots Cattle Industry Organizations Back Secretary Rollins’ National Farm Security Action Plan
Grassroots cattle industry organizations throughout the United States are sharing support for Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins’ National Farm Security Action Plan.
Louisiana Cattlemen's Association President and Cattle Producer Jarett Daigle:
“Louisiana Cattlemen's Association is appreciative of Secretary Rollins' plan to put farm security first. Agriculture built this land, and we must safeguard it for our future generations!”
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Record-Breaking Turnout at 19th Annual Watermelon Classic Livestock Show in DeRidder
Youth livestock exhibitors from not only Beauregard Parish but across Louisiana and Mississippi gathered in at the Beauregard Parish Fairgrounds in DeRidder recently for the 19th Annual Watermelon Classic Livestock Show, a cherished tradition in Beauregard Parish. This year’s event reached a milestone with an impressive 638 junior entries, making it the largest turnouts in the show’s history. This year we added Adult Showmanship with an additional 44 entries. Making our total entries 682!
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Louisiana Forage Farmer: Summer 2025
Winter annual forages are adapted for grazing, green chop, hay, and silage production in Louisiana. Each year, scientists at the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center conduct performance trials to evaluate the forage production of annual ryegrass, small grain forage, and legume forage varieties. Trials are conducted at various Louisiana State University Agricultural Center research stations throughout the state to provide information on the performance of varieties under varying soil and climatic conditions.
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Cow Country Reporter: July 2025
Don’t forget to send in your CPL dues for fiscal year 2025-2026. Thank you for your support. If you didn’t receive a renewal notice with a form in the mail, please contact me.
The first week in July the bulk of the auction markets will be closed in the U.S. this includes the Louisiana and Mississippi auctions.
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NCBA Stands With USDA On Measured Plan To Reopen Key Ports Of Entry
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) announced support for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) plan to strategically reopen key ports of entry to shipments of live cattle, bison, and horses. This decision was made by Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins following a New World screwworm assessment by USDA staff in Mexico and ongoing conversations between Secretary Rollins and the Mexican Secretary of Agriculture.
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Seven Stories on How the One Big Beautiful Bill Protects Family Farmers and Ranchers
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) released a series of grassroots videos featuring hardworking family farmers and ranchers who need Congress to deliver lasting tax relief by passing the “One Big Beautiful Bill.”
“Across the nation, farming and ranching families are thinking about how their cattle operation stays in business for future generations. Legislation that reduces the Death Tax, cuts taxes across the board, and helps farmers and ranchers keep more of their hard-earned money is how we keep America’s agricultural legacy going strong for future generations,” said NCBA Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane. “Cattle producers’ message to Congress is simple: pass the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill.’”
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Cattle Industry Support Letter For One Big Beautiful Bill
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and its state affiliates sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo urging passage of the “One Big Beautiful Bill.”
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Ashley Edwards: Pivoting During The Pandemic To Help The Beef Industry
When Ashley Edwards joined the LSU AgCenter in December 2019 as an extension agent and coordinator of livestock programs, she was eager to hit the road and begin visiting producers, conducting workshops and helping 4-H youth with their livestock projects.
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Property Owner Of Alleged Cockfighting Location Arrested
The owner of the property that is at the center of a cockfighting investigation in Beauregard Parish has now been arrested, according to the sheriff’s office.
Ricky Lee Ashworth, 70, was booked into the Beauregard Parish Correctional Facility for one count of cockfighting and one count of aggravated cruelty to animals. He was released on bond Wednesday evening.
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NCBA Supports USDA Plan For Screwworm Sterile Fly Facility In Texas
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) announced strong support for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) plan to build a New World screwworm sterile fly facility at Moore Air Base in south Texas. NCBA President Buck Wehrbein and NCBA Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane joined Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins at Moore Air Base for her press announcement.
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