Friday May 29 Ag News - Survey Shows More Meat Eaters in US Population - USGBC Hosts Seminar at UNL - FTC Launches Fertilizer Investigation - Producers Appointed to National Pork Board - Testimony on 45Z - and more!

Fewer Vegans, More Meat Eaters — What It Means for Beef
Jaslyn Livingston, fourth-generation cattle producer from Broadwater, Nebraska.

Not long ago, it felt like beef had a target on its back.

Between headlines about plant-based alternative proteins, questions about how cattle are raised and shifting consumer preferences, there was a lot of speculation about beef’s future. As a young rancher, I heard those conversations just like everyone else — and like many producers, I wondered what they might mean for our industry long term.

Today, the conversation looks very different.

Beef demand is strong, even as prices remain high and supplies are tight. And that strength isn’t just anecdotal — it’s backed by data. Beef Checkoff-funded research like the Meat Demand Monitor (MDM), a monthly national survey of U.S. consumers, continues to show that consumers value beef for its taste, and that eating satisfaction plays a major role in their purchasing decisions.

In fact, a report summarizing the MDM’s findings from February 2020 to December 2025 shows that more than 85% of Americans today identify as meat consumers, and consumer willingness to pay for beef at retail has increased faster than inflation. Over that same period, the number of consumers identifying as vegetarian or vegan has declined from 14% to just 7%.

Furthermore, broader food and nutrition trends are working in beef’s favor. Protein continues to be top of mind for consumers, whether they’re focused on overall health, weight management or maintaining muscle as they age. Even the rise of GLP-1 medications has reinforced the importance of nutrient-dense foods, with many users prioritizing protein to support their health goals.

I occasionally run ultramarathons and enjoy strength training, and I’ve experienced firsthand how important nutrition is when you’re pushing your body to its limit. Athletes often tailor their diets carefully, focusing on complete protein to support muscle development and recovery. Increasingly, more Americans—even non-athletes—are thinking about food in those same terms.

That trend plays directly to beef’s strengths as a flavorful, nutrient-dense protein. It’s also reflected in the continued recognition of lean beef as part of a healthy dietary pattern in the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans, reinforcing what many of us in the industry have long known: beef can absolutely be part of a healthy lifestyle.

That recognition doesn’t happen by accident. Research and education play an important role in helping consumers access accurate information about beef. Producers are investing in nutrition research through the Beef Checkoff, and that research continues to explore beef’s role in healthy dietary patterns. Meanwhile, outreach to health professionals helps ensure science-based information reaches the people influencing what we eat.

On our ranch, we’ve seen that demand play out firsthand. Cattle prices have remained strong for the past two years. That’s a welcome change from years when we hoped to simply break even after accounting for feed, fuel and other input costs. Strong cattle prices reflect the reality that supplies are tight and demand for finished beef remains strong. Conversations with my neighbors suggest many operations are experiencing the same.

However, strong demand today doesn’t guarantee strong demand tomorrow. That’s why continued investment in building demand, expanding market opportunities and strengthening consumer trust matters.

Like many producers, I think a lot about what it will take to keep family operations viable for the next generation. Recent devastating wildfires near our ranch here in Nebraska are a reminder of just how quickly challenges can arise — and how deeply they can affect our communities. While there’s no single solution, continued investment in building demand, expanding market opportunities and strengthening consumer trust plays an important role in helping keep operations viable and our industry strong.

As I take on a larger role in our family ranch, I’m encouraged — not just by where beef demand stands today, but by the factors supporting it. My generation of cattle producers takes the future of this industry seriously. We want the opportunity to pass down healthy, viable operations to the next generation — just as previous generations did for us.

Jaslyn Livingston is a fourth-generation cattle producer from Broadwater, Nebraska, where she helps manage A Lazy L Ranch, LLC, with her family. The diversified operation includes cow-calf, feedlot and row crop production. She also serves on the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, helping guide Beef Checkoff programs focused on research, education and promotion.




Haupt Joins Nebraska Extension to Provide Farm Financial Analysis Services to Producers

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Center for Agricultural Profitability and Nebraska Extension announced the hiring of David Haupt as a financial analyst to offer free, one-on-one consultations with Nebraska’s farmers and ranchers navigating complex financial situations.

Haupt will directly collaborate with producers in this new position, providing confidential guidance on helping operations manage existing debt, building sustainable budgets and their current financial health. He will also work with producers to explain the potential financial considerations related to different risk management decisions.

Beyond individual meetings, Haupt will contribute to the Center for Agricultural Profitability’s extension workshops, online courses and publications on farm and ranch management and finance.

Haupt has over 45 years of experience in agricultural lending, including 20 years in commercial banking and more than 25 years with Farm Credit Services of America.
"David has spent decades working directly with agricultural borrowers," said Jay Parsons, director of the Center for Agricultural Profitability.

"His deep understanding of farm finances makes him a great resource for producers who need to evaluate their options or strengthen their business plans".

A native of South Dakota who grew up on a McPherson County farm, Haupt has lived in Nebraska since 1984, including the past 20 years in Kearney. He is based in the office of Nebraska Extension in Buffalo County.

"I’ve spent my entire career in agricultural lending," Haupt said. "I’m eager to help Nebraska producers think through their options and make the best possible decisions for their operations."

Producers interested in consultations or learning more about these services can visit the Center for Agricultural Profitability’s website at https://cap.unl.edu/finance. 



USGBC Escorts Mexican Feed Nutritionists To Nebraska Training Course

Earlier this month, U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council (USGBC) Senior Marketing Specialist Javier Chávez and USGBC Marketing Specialist Eduardo Martinez Gonzalez led a team of Mexican feed nutritionists to an educational seminar at the University of Nebraska to improve understanding of U.S. corn co-products’ applications in livestock diets.

“By engaging key nutritionists in an important U.S. export market like Mexico, the Council can emphasize U.S. corn co-products like distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and new generation DDGS and their ability to diversify protein sources, improve feed efficiency and support sustainable supply chains,” Chávez said.

The group of 13 nutritionists arrived at the University of Nebraska for a series of presentations from industry experts. Topics included the nutritional characteristics of DDGS, feed inputs’ roles in improving the metabolism of beef and dairy cattle and the applications of DDGS in swine diets.

The next day, the team toured USGBC member POET’s ethanol facility in Fairmont to observe DDGS production firsthand and visited a local farm and feedlot to complete the group’s understanding of how U.S. corn co-products are sustainably grown and moved along the value chain.

“The Council is continuing to provide technical materials to stakeholders that help improve DDGS inclusion rates by emphasizing cost‑effectiveness and nutritional advantages. These updates are tailored to end-users to ensure they can confidently integrate U.S. corn co-products into their operations,” Chávez said.

“Together, DDGS educational and promotional activities exemplify the Council’s commitment to innovation, knowledge transfer and long‑term partnerships that strengthen the role of U.S. grains and their co-products in global markets.”



NGPC still offers grazing, haying opportunities

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is continuing to offer pastures and hay tracts on some of its properties to landowners affected by spring wildfires.

Game and Parks manages land for wildlife habitat management and recreation. Grazing is a management tool that can positively affect plant succession and promotes quality wildlife habitat.

Tenants already were on many Game and Parks properties, where grazing or haying were used as part of its management plan, at the time of the spring fires. These additional areas were opened for grazing and haying for landowners affected by those wildfires.

Some wildlife management areas and parklands are being offered on a first-come, first-served basis for grazing and haying until Aug. 31. Leases will be one-time, short duration grazing. Haying tracts will be available after July 10. Many tracts will require temporary fencing and hauling of water to grazing paddocks.

Call the following contact list for more information.

Grazing paddocks are available on the following WMAs:
Cherry County — Shell Lake, 210 acres, call Nate Rau, 308-763-2940
Grant County — Frye Lake, 60 acres, call Nate Rau, 308-763-2940
Dawson County — East Willow Island, 27 acres, call Scott Aden, 308-535-8025

Haying tracts are available on:
Lincoln County — Hershey WMA, 13 acres, Scott Aden, 308-535-8025
Niobrara State Park, Knox County – call Tyler Wulf at 402-388-4169

All lease agreements will follow state law, policies and protocols.



Farmers Welcome FTC’s Investigation into the Fertilizer Industry with a Standing Ovation

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has launched a long-awaited and highly-anticipated investigation into the fertilizer industry's pricing practices and market concentration, Chairman Andrew Ferguson announced today at a gathering of farmers from across 18 states on a North Texas farm. 

“I'm announcing that, on my order, the commission some time ago commenced a major industry-wide investigation into the precipitous rise of fertilizer prices in this country, which has affected so many of our nation's farmers, including everyone in this room, including the issuance of compulsory process,” Chairman Ferguson said. “USDA data has shown the single largest increase in input costs of farmers across the United States since 2020 has come from fertilizer… These continued price increases are not something our nation, much less our farmers, can continue to ignore.” 

The announcement drew an immediate response from the farm leaders who organized the event. 

“Every farmer in that room knew Chairman Ferguson was right, ignoring the crisis in the fertilizer market is no longer an option,” said Iowa Corn Growers Association President Mark Mueller, who spoke at the hearing as a panelist. “Unchecked market manipulation is squeezing American farmers to the breaking point, and the fallout is hitting every family's grocery bill.  Farmers are demanding accountability. The FTC stepping in to investigate is the catalyst we need to get back to an open, honest marketplace.” 

The event — "Fed Up: Fertilizer Cartel Profits on Farmers' Backs and Your Grocery Bill" — took aim at the crushing input costs set by Mosaic, Nutrien, CF Industries and Koch. Those costs have driven family farms to the breaking point, with bankruptcies climbing to record numbers, as fertilizer shareholder profits hit record highs. To paint a picture with numbers, fertilizer prices rose more than 150% since 2020, far outpacing inflation, while net farm income fell 31% from its 2022 peak.  

Following the Chairman’s keynote, farmers from across the country joined an on-stage panel before a crowd of more than 100 agricultural leaders and producers who traveled from multiple states to attend. Farmers shared firsthand accounts of how rising fertilizer costs and concentrated market power are squeezing family operations and urged the FTC to take aggressive action to protect American agriculture from further decline. 

“We appreciate the opportunity to share the on-the-ground reality farmers are experiencing,” said Past Iowa Corn Growers Association President Lance Lillibridge. “We're grateful that Chairman Ferguson and the FTC came to Texas, listened to our farmers, and took action. Now we need that investigation to follow the evidence wherever it leads." 

The FTC reiterated its commitment to maintaining the confidentiality of its sources in its investigative process, with the chairman citing the Commission’s launch of a confidentiality commitment on its website last week. Ferguson encouraged those with information that would be helpful in its investigation to come forward to the FTC, with confidence of the Commission’s protection. 

Background:  
By Chapter 12 bankruptcy filings (2025, year-over-year change): 
    Arkansas: 33 filings (+100%) — most in the state in the 21st century 
    Georgia: 27 filings (+145%) 
    Iowa: 18 filings (+220%) 
    Midwest region: 121 total filings (led all regions) 
    Southeast region: 105 total filings (second highest) 

839 farms filed for bankruptcy in the last four years — and that's just the ones who made it to court. The U.S. lost 35,000 farms in that same period. 



Corn Growers Call Out Fertilizer Companies for Price Hikes

A coalition of corn organizations and commodity groups hosted a listening session in Texas today on competition issues in the fertilizer market. Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson delivered keynote remarks at the event.

In response to the issues raised at the event, Ohio farmer and National Corn Growers Association President Jed Bower released the following statement.  
 
“We commend FTC Chairman Ferguson for taking part in the discussion and pledging to launch an investigation into the fertilizer industry. This comes as a welcome development, particularly as corn growers are facing their fourth consecutive year of negative returns and struggling to pay for exorbitantly expensive fertilizer products.
 
“NCGA is committed to eliminating the factors that keep fertilizer prices at near-record highs. For example, we are working to address the lack of competition in the U.S. marketplace, and we are supporting efforts to insert transparency and new suppliers into the market through legislation like the Fertilizer Transparency Act, Fertilizer Research Act and the Homegrown Fertilizer Act.
 
“We are also calling on the administration to remove countervailing duties on phosphate fertilizer imported from Morocco, which have hampered supplies and raised costs for farmers who can’t solely rely on domestic supply. A resumption of phosphate imports from Morocco would offer some relief to U.S. farmers while global fertilizer supplies are constrained.  
 
“We appreciate the Trump administration’s efforts to address constraints in the fertilizer supply chain and to push for free market competition in this critical industry."



Five Pork Producers Appointed to Help Drive Industry Progress

The National Pork Board (NPB) welcomes five appointed pork producers to serve three-year terms beginning in June on the NPB Board of Directors.
    Emily Arkfeld, Missouri
    Chad Herring, North Carolina
    Alayne Johnson, Indiana
    Gordon Spronk, Minnesota
    Terry Wolters, South Dakota

“The checkoff was built by producers for producers, so their experiences and ideas are critical to keep us moving forward.” says David Newman, Ph.D., NPB CEO. “Board members play such an important role in charting the swine industry course for the future. The checkoff exists to tackle big challenges that producers can’t solve entirely on their own, like disease elimination and increasing U.S. pork consumption. Producer perspectives today help set the direction for the decades ahead.”

The board oversees Pork Checkoff investments in promotion, research and consumer information programs that strengthen U.S. pork and support the industry’s strategic priorities. NPB’s 15-member board is made up of pork producers or importers nominated by Pork Act Delegates at the National Pork Forum and appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture.

Producer input, state pork association collaboration and the We Care® Ethical Principles continue to guide NPB’s work. Those perspectives help shape priorities across the Pork Checkoff, from the Taste What Pork Can Do® consumer marketing campaign, which highlights pork’s rich flavor and versatility to millennial and Gen Z consumers, to the National Swine Health Strategy, a coordinated, science-based approach to protecting herd health and preparing for emerging challenges.

“I’m honored to serve alongside and welcome talented and passionate leaders on the NPB Board of Directors,” says Gordon Spronk, DVM, NPB president. “The challenges we face are real, but so is the opportunity in front of us to improve them. If we want the future to look different than the present, we must keep advancing animal health, while also continuing to build pork’s relevance with younger consumers. Being producer led and consumer focused means recognizing that a healthier U.S. swine herd and stronger consumer demand are not competing priorities – they are the foundation of a brighter future for pork producers. I believe this industry and our board can build that future.”

Four producers will complete their service on the National Pork Board in June. Thank you to Stewart Leeth of Virginia, Santiago Vazquez of North Carolina, Morgan Wonderly of California and Al Wulfekuhle of Iowa for their dedicated service to America’s pig farmers.



Weekly Ethanol Production for 5/22/2026

According to EIA data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association for the week ending May 22, ethanol production declined 2.0% to 1.09 million b/d, equivalent to 45.74 million gallons daily. Yet, output was 3.1% higher than the same week last year and 4.1% above the five-year average for the week. The four-week average ethanol production rate increased 1.9% to 1.08 million b/d, equivalent to an annualized rate of 16.52 billion gallons (bg).

Ethanol stocks ticked up 0.4% to 25.0 million barrels. Stocks were 2.8% more than the same week last year and 11.1% above the five-year average. Inventories built in the East Coast (PADD 1) and West Coast (PADD 5) but thinned across the other regions.

The volume of gasoline supplied to the U.S. market, a measure of implied demand, swelled 5.6% to a 48-week high of 9.26 million b/d (142.28 bg annualized). Demand was 2.1% less than a year ago but 1.0% above the five-year average.

Refiner/blender net inputs of ethanol followed, up 2.2% to a 52-week high of 937,000 b/d, equivalent to 14.40 bg annualized. Net inputs were 0.2% less than year-ago levels but 0.9% above the five-year average.

Ethanol exports slumped 31.5% to 102,000 b/d (4.3 million gallons/day). It has been more than two years since EIA indicated ethanol was imported.



NCGA Leader Outlines Needed Steps for Determining Aviation Tax Credit

A leader with the National Corn Growers Association today outlined for Internal Revenue Service officials the actions that must occur to make a new aviation fuel tax credit successful.
 
The comments by Michigan farmer and NCGA First Vice President Matt Frostic came during an IRS listening session on a new tax credit – called 45z Clean Fuel Production Credit after the section of a new law it is included in – designed to help transition biofuels like corn ethanol into the aviation sector.  
 
“The Section 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit has the potential to become one of the most important long-term demand drivers for agriculture in decades,” Frostic said. “For that potential to become reality, the regulatory framework must be finalized clearly, predictably, and quickly.”
 
Frostic specifically called for government agencies to: 
 
Use a scientifically grounded and workable system that accurately reflects the conservation practices already being implemented across rural America rather than requiring practices that will not work in certain environments and areas of the country.
 
Implement a consistent greenhouse gas model across federal agencies for determining greenhouse gas reductions that qualify for the tax credit. Frostic urged the agency to use an updated model developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  
 
Recognize the ability of verified on-farm practices to reduce carbon intensity scores in a practical and workable way that does not distort planting decisions or disrupt existing grain markets.
 
“Corn growers are already implementing conservation practices that improve environmental outcomes while strengthening the resilience of their operations,” Frostic said. “Practices like no-till, strip-till, and cover cropping improve soil structure, increase organic matter, improve water infiltration, and strengthen drought tolerance. These are real agronomic improvements with measurable outcomes.”  
 
The Section 45Z tax credit has the potential to become one of the most important long-term demand drivers for agriculture in decades. But corn grower leaders like Frostic have argued over the last few years that for the potential to become reality, the regulatory framework must be finalized clearly, predictably and quickly. 



ASA Supports Final 45Z Guidance to Expand Demand for U.S. Soybeans

Thursday, American Soybean Association Secretary Jordan Scott testified before the U.S. Department of the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service during a public hearing on proposed regulations for the Section 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit, urging the administration to finalize timely guidance that supports U.S. biofuels and expands demand for American-grown soybeans.

Scott, a fifth-generation farmer from Valley Springs, South Dakota, highlighted the role of biofuels in strengthening domestic markets for U.S. soybean farmers at a time when the farm economy continues to face tightening margins and uncertainty.

“Federal tax credit certainty for the biofuel industry supports U.S. agriculture by bolstering market access and creating value-added opportunities for farmers,” Scott said. “Conversely, the lack of tax credit certainty affects the markets that U.S. soybean farmers depend on.”

In his testimony, Scott highlighted the importance of recent statutory changes to 45Z that improve the competitiveness of soy-based biofuels by removing indirect land use change penalties on agricultural feedstocks. He also voiced support for provisions limiting eligibility for the tax credit to biofuels produced using feedstocks sourced within the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Scott additionally encouraged Treasury and IRS to continue developing policy that would allow farmers to benefit directly from climate-smart practices, including no-till and cover crops, through USDA’s Carbon Intensity Calculator.

“To ensure that 45Z supports not only biofuel production, but also the farmers who produce homegrown biofuel feedstocks, Treasury and IRS must work urgently to issue final tax guidance before we enter the 2026 harvest season,” Scott said.