Cattle Market Guys - Tuesday Check In 7-14-2026

Cash cattle prices tumbled seven dollars this week, but feeder and stocker marketings ran nearly 40% below the three-year average—creating the kind of thin, choppy market that can swing hard in either direction. Add in a stunning USDA export data error that slashed beef sales figures by 90%, and producers have a lot to untangle this week. Brock and Jim break down the latest cash and futures data, noting a split market where lighter steers are sliding while heavier weights creep up. They dig into why marketings are running so far below normal, with Jim drawing parallels to the 1996 drought-driven liquidation in West Texas and sharing a firsthand story about how timing flexibility made a real difference in per-head pricing. The conversation also covers the July WASDE report's surprisingly bullish Q3 revision despite short-term cash weakness. On the trade front, they unpack USDA's dramatic export data correction involving Chile and Italy, rising beef imports, and what this means for trust in federal reporting. A look at South Africa's shifting FMD vaccine policy highlights how global disease management ties into U.S. export competitiveness. Finally, Brock and Jim cover USDA's expanded metals testing requirements taking effect July 20th and the $80 million in federal support aimed at helping small processors manage rising compliance costs.