USDA Adds Regional Cash Cattle Market Report Starting Oct. 26
USDA will add a five-state cash cattle report Oct. 26 to provide more price information as negotiated cattle trade declines.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will add a regional cash cattle market report to provide additional price information for livestock producers, sellers, packers, and other market participants.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced the update October 20, 2026, as part of the department’s efforts to implement two executive orders addressing American ranchers and competition in livestock markets.
The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will use data already collected through its Livestock Mandatory Reporting (LMR) system to produce the additional report. The change is intended to improve transparency in negotiated cash cattle prices as industry purchasing practices continue to shift toward formula-based transactions.
What the New Cash Cattle Report Includes
Beginning with afternoon reports published Monday, October 26, AMS will release an additional regional cash cattle report aggregating data from five states:
- Colorado
- Texas
- New Mexico
- Oklahoma
- Kansas
No additional reporting will be required from covered packers. AMS will use information already collected through the LMR system to compile the regional report.
Why USDA Is Updating Cattle Market Reporting
Negotiated cash cattle trade has declined as the industry has increasingly adopted formula-based purchasing methods. According to USDA, cash purchases accounted for more than 50% of transactions in 2005 but fell to less than 18% in 2025.
Because cash purchases serve as the basis for many formula transactions, fewer negotiated trades have reduced the number of reportable transactions. This decline has also created confidentiality challenges that can limit the usefulness of existing price reports.
The additional regional report is intended to provide more meaningful information about negotiated cash cattle prices for producers and other market participants.
Where to Find USDA Cattle Market Reports
Livestock producers and other market participants can find AMS market information on the USDA Livestock, Poultry, and Grain Market News webpage.
The USDA Market News app is also available for iOS and Android devices through the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
