Posted on 11/23/2025 7:39:22 PM PST by yesthatjallen
CHICAGO, Nov 21 (Reuters) - Tyson Foods (TSN.N) will close a major beef plant in Lexington, Nebraska, with about 3,200 employees in January after U.S. cattle supplies dropped to their lowest level in nearly 75 years, the meatpacker said on Friday.
The closure in the heart of cattle-feeding country signaled that supplies will remain tight, forcing meatpackers to pay steep prices for cattle to process into steaks and hamburgers.
Beef prices have set records due to low supplies and strong demand, raising costs for consumers. President Donald Trump said last month that he was working to bring down prices.
Tyson said it will also reduce operations at a beef plant in Amarillo, Texas, to a single, full-capacity shift, affecting about 1,700 workers. "Tyson Foods recognizes the impact these decisions have on team members and the communities where we operate," the company said in a statement.
Tyson said the changes were expected around January 20 and that it will increase production at other facilities to meet customer demand.
SNIP
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
“after U.S. cattle supplies dropped to their lowest level in nearly 75 years....Beef prices have set record.”
Why is the reason for this still in hiding?
Tyson was a major backer of Bill Clinton when he was a candidate. Never again bought anything with that name on the label.
We helped reduce cattle supplies this evening.
There was controversy over importing beef. Sounds like maybe we should consider importing *cattle* for our farmers? Is that an option?
https://beefnews.org/cattle-supply-cliff-why-u-s-beef-production-faces-a-multi-year-decline/
According to the USDA’s May 2025 Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Outlook, beef production is projected to decline by nearly 2% in 2025, dipping to 26.6 billion pounds. This marks the third consecutive year of decline, the steepest sustained drop since the 1980s. The reasons are structural: a historic liquidation of the national cow herd, extreme droughts, sky-high feed prices, and multi-generational ranch exits.
Heifer retention—essential to rebuilding the herd—remains at a 30-year low. The January 1 cattle inventory stood at 86.7 million head—the lowest since 1951—marking the sixth consecutive year of contraction. With pasture conditions still recovering and input costs outpacing market returns, ranchers aren’t rebuilding anytime soon.
This isn’t just a blip—it’s the start of a supply chain contraction that could last well into 2026 and beyond. The long biological cycle of cattle production (18+ months from calf to carcass) means the decisions ranchers are making today will be felt on your dinner plate for years to come.
Tyson Foods has a plant in Arkansas to create insect meat, you will eat it and like it...
Its not.
Who is Joel Salatin?
Are the major packers and suppliers Americans?
When the price goes up and the big international companies are shoved out who wins?
We cleaned out/reorganized the freezer today. There was a package of ground beef from March 2025. It was $3.99/lb.
I am not sure I understand why there is such a shortage, and (always the cynic) wonder whether it is at least partially manufactured?
Who cares? We got Big Beautiful ARGENTINEAN BEEF, OK?
People don’t want to raise cattle. It’s really that simple
A small herd in my family will die out in the next 5 to 10 years, without somebody stepping forward.
Right now, the only people that could keep business going are making money in the technology sector.
“It is what it is.”
1. DROUGHT IS FORCING RANCHERS TO DOWNSIZE
Over the past few years, severe drought has hit much of America’s cattle country - including country that provides hay to cattle country. Without enough forage to feed their herds, ranchers have had two options:
Buy expensive feed and hay (if they can even find it)
Sell off their animals early to reduce costs
Many chose the latter. The result? Massive herd reductions across the country.
While these erratic weather patterns can be mitigated through regenerating healthier soil, the majority of ranches across the US are not using these practices. And this isn’t a one-time event. It’s an ongoing reality for a lot of ranchers trying to keep animals on grass.
2. FEED, FUEL, AND FARMING COSTS ARE THROUGH THE ROOF
Raising cattle has never been cheap—but now it’s more expensive than ever.
Grain prices are at record highs
Fuel costs have skyrocketed
Labor is harder to find
Land prices are through the roof
Borrowing money to expand herds and buy land? That’s gotten pricier too, thanks to rising interest rates
For most small and mid-size ranchers, it’s impossible to break even—let alone rebuild.
3. BREEDING STOCK IS BEING SLAUGHTERED
Here’s a behind-the-scenes fact Big Ag won’t advertise:
When times get tough, ranchers don’t just send market-ready cattle to slaughter—they send everybody.
That means fewer cows left to have calves in the future, and a smaller calf crop for years to come. Even though beef prices are at record highs, many ranchers still aren’t rebuilding their herds because the math just doesn’t work.
4. THE CATTLE CYCLE IS STUCK IN REVERSE
Cattle follow a natural 8–12-year cycle: herds grow, then shrink, then grow again. But right now?
We’re stuck in a contraction phase, and it’s not bouncing back anytime soon. Even with high beef prices, ranchers are hesitant to expand because:
Costs are too high
Weather is too unstable
The system is too fragile
5. THE DEATH OF THE FAMILY RANCH
Every year, the U.S. loses about 20,000 ranchers.
Why? Because the next generation often doesn’t want to (or can’t afford to) take over the operation. Small and mid-sized farms are getting squeezed out by industrial giants who control processing, distribution, and retail prices.
It’s a system set up for consolidation—not sustainability.
6. OUTSOURCING OUR BEEF SUPPLY
Since 2015, the U.S. has dramatically increased beef imports from places like Mexico and Brazil.
Why? Because it’s cheaper to outsource.
The problem? This pushes down prices for ranchers here at home and makes it even harder for small American farms to survive. We’re slowly giving away our food security—and most people don’t even know it’s happening.
7. A BROKEN SUPPLY CHAIN
Right now, there’s still beef in the grocery store. But that’s partly because so many ranchers liquidated their herds all at once, creating a temporary glut of meat.
What happens next?
Shortages
Higher prices
Increased reliance on imports
And if you think Big Food companies are going to absorb the cost for you, think again. You’ll pay more—and get less.
Who cares? We got Big Beautiful ARGENTINEAN BEEF, OK?
*****************
Where’s your herd?
Crybaby.
Perhaps the actual reason is: they can’t get employees, now that the illegals are heading south.
Tysons largest retailer of raw packaged beef is another DEM Donor. Walmart sells Tyson Beef I saw it being restocked one night a few years back. The Bush-China trade policies did their damage as well as Tyson relies heavily on China. No foreign nation especially China should be allowed to own farm or ranch land inside the USA. We have had 4 decades plus of China Owned tyrants running and ruining our nation. We need to pack our trash and leave China and they need to pack theirs and leave the USA.
Its only a controversy for those not paying attention. Bringing in live cattle is the exact opposite of what the small American producers would want.
On top of that potentially bringing in screw worm after all the effort we made to get rid of it and at a time like this may not be the best idea.
I eat my share on my bike
As the guy said in cleaning out the stuff in the back of his refrigerator:
This green stuff is either very fresh pesto or very old cream cheese.
Small family ranchers who is the life blood of Cattle ranching can’t afford replacement cow prices going from $400-800 a head to $3000-5000 a head...just that simple...
Consumer beef prices are at record highs, but prices ranchers receive are as low as they have ever been
Cattle are now different from any other commodity. If the producers can make a profit, they will make more.
Somewhere between the farmer and the consumer, there’s a whole chain of bloated, inefficient, and corrupt system of government USDA/FDA/EPA regulations, supporting a corporate-crony meat processing oligopoly.
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