News

USDA’s NASS to reinstate July Cattle report

The USDA’s National Ag Statistics Service has announced it will reinstate several previously suspended reports and programs, including the July Cattle Inventory report.

Oklahoma State University extension livestock marketing specialist Derrell Peel says given the current cattle cycle, this is good news. “Getting that midyear report will give us an indication of the replacement heifer inventory, so whether or not heifer retention has started, we’ve been looking for this for almost 18 months now,” he says. “But instead of waiting a full year till the next January report, the midyear inventory will be valuable.”

He tells Brownfield the return of the report provides producers with critical market insight as they make plans for the future. “Both from the standpoint of where we are with cattle numbers and inventory and herd building/rebuilding or not at this point,” he says.  “But also knowing drought status and knowing what some other producers may be able to do versus maybe what they’d like to do.”

The July Cattle report also provides the industry with the first look at the current year’s calf crop, which is then confirmed in the following year’s January Cattle report.

NASS is also bringing back County Estimates for Crops and Livestock. The county estimate reinstatement is effective for the 2024 crop seasons for row crops (corn, cotton, peanuts, rice, sorghum, and soybeans), and for the 2025 crop season for small grains (barley, oats, and wheat).

County Estimates for corn, sorghum, and soybeans will be released May 6.  Cotton will be released May 12.  County estimates for cattle will come out May 13, and county estimates for rice and peanuts will come out May 23.

The July Cattle report comes out July 25th.

The July Cattle report and county estimates for crops and livestock were canceled last April.  NASS said the move was necessary because of appropriated budget levels. 

AUDIO: Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University