The cattle markets show remarkable resilience despite significant international trade challenges, according to BEEF's Clint Peck and Nevil Speer in our inaugural Beef Banter podcast. Fed cattle continue trading steadily around $211-$212 even as exports to China have disappeared – a loss representing approximately $60 per head compared to last year.

As Speer notes, "This is not grandpa's game anymore," with fed steers worth approximately $3,000 each.

Our conversation challenges some persistent industry myths, particularly regarding imported beef. Peck, drawing from his experience as Montana's Beef Quality Assurance Program director, emphasizes that quality encompasses both eating characteristics and safety/wholesomeness. He argues that criticizing imports as "lower quality" misunderstands their role, as imported trimmings actually create substantial value for domestic producers – worth about $150 per head. Without these complementary imported products, U.S. beef would lose significant value.

Moving forward, Brazil is thought to be the primary beneficiary if U.S. beef continues losing international market share. Once these markets are lost, "switching costs" make recovery difficult even with America's competitive advantage in high-quality grain-fed products. Additional concerns include labor challenges in processing plants and potential disruptions to feeder cattle imports should the Mexico border face additional closures.

Join us on BEEF Banter for more insightful discussions on the factors shaping today's beef industry. Hosts of BEEF Banter are Sarah Muirhead, Clint Peck and Nevil Speer. Subscribe to Beef Banter wherever you get your podcasts and share your questions for future episodes!