Ohio Ag Net | Ohio's Country Journal Ohio Ag Net | Ohio's Country Journal Recent packing plant closures, changing cattle prices, and new uncertainty in the beef market have raised plenty of questions for cattle producers across Ohio and the Eastern Corn Belt.
In this extended discussion, Ohio Ag Net’s Joel Penhorwood sits down with leadership from United Producers Inc. to talk about what they are seeing firsthand in the cattle market, and maybe more importantly, what producers should be thinking about as conditions continue to change.
Joining the conversation are UPI President and CEO Mike Bumgarner, Chief Operating Officer Hollie Bunn, Vice President of Livestock Marketing Tony Thomas, Risk Management Manager Jon White, and Direct Cattle Sales Manager Sam Roberts.
The group discusses the immediate market reaction following recent regional packing plant closures, including a sharp short-term decline in cattle values and a widening of basis. Panelists also share how, beginning almost immediately after the Joslin plant closure, they began fielding a sudden wave of calls from producers looking for direction and trying to understand their options. They explain how buyers, packers, and producers have begun adjusting, with cattle moving to different facilities and additional processing opportunities beginning to emerge. They also discuss marketing options, such as access to tools like contracting, hedging, and other risk-management strategies where they fit the operation.
The panel also discusses the temporary tariff changes affecting imported ground beef, historically tight U.S. cattle numbers, and the question of when meaningful herd rebuilding could begin.
This is part of a series discussing this topic with Ohio’s prominent farm and cattle organizations.
