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Cattle producer says USDA reports help give the industry transparency

A southwest Iowa cattle producer says he’s concerned with USDA’s recent decision to cancel the July Cattle Inventory report.

Jeff Jorgenson owns a cow/calf operation in Fremont County. “You just don’t know what it’s going to add to volatility. We obviously know that we are in a very short cow count number for the U.S.”

He tells Brownfield the industry relies on transparency. “The trust is in the USDA in what they come out with numbers. There are times we don’t like them, but that’s the trust factor we have to have and transparency is what we need. I hope it doesn’t jeopardize that at all and I hope they really take a good look and make sure it was the right move.”

Jorgenson says the reports are important tools for producers. “For me, it turns into what the trend is and where the trend is heading. I think that’s one of the most important things to look at.”

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association has urged USDA to immediately reverse its decision to end the report.