Cattle Market Guys - Week Wrap Up 6-19-2026

Twelve confirmed screwworm cases on U.S. soil, $105 million in federal response funding, and a July 1st USMCA deadline that farm groups are calling potentially catastrophic — the cattle industry is navigating a minefield of compounding risks. This week on Cattle Market Guys, Brock and Jim break down everything producers in the southern tier and beyond need to know before it's too late to act. On the markets, six-weight steers have softened from $424 to $405 per hundredweight over the past month, and the four-week forecast shows further near-term pressure before a partial recovery — while lighter five-weight calves continue to hold a firm premium. Brock and Jim explain why this week's futures volatility was largely a trader story rather than a cash fundamentals story, and why commercial operators shouldn't read too much into the noise. The episode also digs into the screwworm threat with historical context from Jim's own ranching background, covering what early detection and rapid reporting actually look like on the ground. On trade, U.S. beef exports to China fell 11% in April, and USMCA faces a renewal deadline with genuine uncertainty after President Trump signaled a preference against a new agreement. With Mexico's feeder cattle pipeline already disrupted by screwworm border closures, Brock and Jim examine what a deal collapse could mean for stocker and backgrounding operations that depend on cross-border supply.