Explore every episode of the podcast Beef Market Update – RealAgriculture

A shift in supply dynamics and shifting trade flows are weighing heavily on North American livestock markets, reversing months of tight inventory trends and record-high retail prices. In this Beef Market Update, Shaun Haney of RealAgriculture sits down with Anne Wasko of Gateway Livestock Exchange to unpack the factors driving the recent downturn in cash... Read More

What a week. For this episode of the Beef Market Update, Shaun Haney and Anne Wasko of the Gateway Livestock Exchange dive into major shifts across the North American beef sector, starting with significant operational adjustments from major packers. Tyson announced plans to transition one facility into a packaging plant, sell its Pasco, Washington location,... Read More

Extreme volatility and shifting trade policies continue to reshape North American cattle markets. In this week's Beef Market Update, Shaun Haney is joined by Anne Wasko of Gateway Livestock Exchange to unpack a tumultuous month for both cash and futures trade. U.S. cash prices finally stabilized near $231 to $232 per cwt following a violent... Read More

The mid-summer slowdown has settled on the cattle markets, with cash prices retreating across North America following several months of record highs. While the pullback is largely seasonal, strong Canadian beef export performance and continued feeder cattle imports remain key storylines as the industry heads into the second half of the year. In this Beef... Read More

July has arrived with a shift toward more typical seasonal market patterns, but the underlying fundamentals supporting the North American cattle market remain firmly in place. On this week's Beef Market Update, Anne Wasko of Gateway Livestock Exchange and Shaun Haney discuss softer U.S. cash trade, record Alberta fed cattle prices, improving forage conditions across... Read More

Cattle prices continue to push into record territory, but signs are emerging that the market may be testing the limits of consumer demand. In this week's Beef Market Update, Anne Wasko of Gateway Livestock Exchange joined RealAgriculture’s Shaun Haney to discuss cash cattle trade, beef demand, and the growing role of feeder cattle imports in... Read More

Volatility returned to cattle markets this week following confirmation of the first New World screwworm case in the U.S., but the selloff proved short-lived as traders refocused on the underlying fundamentals of tight cattle supplies and exceptionally strong beef demand. In this week's Beef Market Update, Anne Wasko of Gateway Livestock Exchange says futures markets... Read More

After surging to new record highs last week, cattle markets were hit with a sharp dose of volatility this week as traders weighed softer cash trade, growing feedlot inventories, and renewed uncertainty around beef demand. Speaking with RealAgriculture’s Shaun Haney, Anne Wasko of Gateway Livestock Exchange says the market tone shifted quickly ahead of the... Read More

Cash cattle markets pushed sharply higher this week despite ongoing trade uncertainty and volatility in futures markets, says Anne Wasko of Gateway Livestock Exchange. Speaking with RealAgriculture’s Shaun Haney, Wasko described the week as “wild and woolly,” as markets reacted to headlines ranging from Brazilian beef supply concerns to uncertainty around China’s licensing of U.S.... Read More

If you’ve been following the cattle markets lately, you know we’ve been anticipating some strength. But what happened this week wasn't just "strength"—it was an absolute explosion. As we flip the calendar to May, we are officially in uncharted territory with new all-time cash highs and a supply-demand dynamic that continues to defy gravity. Here... Read More

Thanks for tuning in to this Beef Market Update! With calving season underway across many operations, Anne Wasko of Gateway Livestock Exchange joins Shaun Haney to unpack a fast-moving cattle market, shifting trade patterns, and what continues to support beef demand despite ongoing economic pressure. Cash cattle markets have seen a notable jump over the... Read More

Beef markets are holding steady heading into Easter, but underlying signals—from packer disruptions to shifting wholesale spreads—are adding complexity to the outlook. In this Beef Market Update, Shaun Haney speaks with Anne Wasko of Gateway Livestock Exchange about current price trends, wholesale market dynamics, and what’s supporting the cow market despite softer boxed beef values.... Read More

Cash cattle markets took a step lower in the U.S. this week, while Alberta prices held steady, as labour disruptions at a major plant and tightening supplies added fresh uncertainty to the North American beef market. In the latest Beef Market Update, Anne Wasko of Gateway Livestock Exchange says U.S. cash cattle prices weakened, with... Read More

Volatility and tightening supplies continue to shape the North American cattle market, with new record prices showing up in parts of Canada even as global uncertainty rattles futures markets. In this episode of the Beef Market Update, RealAgriculture’s Shaun Haney speaks with Anne Wasko of Gateway Livestock Exchange about recent price swings, shifting supply dynamics,... Read More

Cattle markets are holding firm through what is typically a quieter stretch of the year, underscoring just how tight North American beef supplies remain. In this mid-February Beef Market Update, Anne Wasko of Gateway Livestock Exchange joined Shaun Haney to break down pricing trends following CattleCon last week in Nashville. As the industry looks ahead... Read More

As January wraps up, the cattle markets are following a fairly typical seasonal pattern, but several factors are worth a closer look. In this episode of the Beef Market Update, Anne Wasko of Gateway Livestock Exchange joins Shaun Haney to break down what’s happening in both Canadian and U.S. markets. Packers continue to operate with... Read More

Volatility continues to define cattle markets as the industry moves into 2026, with steady cash trade in the U.S. but sharp swings in futures tied to ongoing uncertainty around screwworm concerns in Mexico near the U.S. border. Anne Wasko of Gateway Livestock Exchange says the cash market held together this past week, with southern trade... Read More

In the first Beef Market Update of 2026, Shaun Haney and Anne Wasko of the Gateway Livestock Exchange reflect on the year past and look ahead to key market forces shaping the cattle industry this year. From border bottlenecks to retail dynamics, Wasko highlights the interconnected factors at play in supply, demand, and market signals.... Read More

In the final Beef Market Update of 2025, the market reflects a seasonally quieter tone as U.S. packers pull back after buying volumes at higher prices. Live trade remains steady at $228 in the north and $357 dressed, while choice cut-out dipped 85 cents to $357.25. Market expectations are set on the December 1 U.S.... Read More

The beef market is showing strong signs of recovery this week, with futures rebounding sharply and cash prices making up ground lost in November. After a volatile stretch, improved clarity around feeder cattle imports and holiday supply dynamics are helping reset expectations for year-end. In this week’s Beef Market Update, Anne Wasko of the Gateway... Read More

North American cattle markets have entered a new phase of uncertainty, with prices falling on both sides of the border and growing concerns over demand and trade disruptions compounding the pressure. “This week was a tough one,” said Anne Wasko of the Gateway Livestock Exchange, in this Beef Market Update. “The market certainly has had... Read More

Cattle markets are unsettled this week as political talk and trade speculation weigh on sentiment. In this episode of Beef Market Update, Anne Wasko of the Gateway Livestock Exchange joins Shaun Haney to unpack the recent volatility and what it means for producers heading into winter. Wasko says the downturn began after mid-October highs when... Read More

The beef market weathered volatility this week, as political headlines clashed with strong demand fundamentals. Anne Wasko of Gateway Livestock Exchange joins Lyndsey Smith for this edition of the Beef Market Update to break it all down — from the U.S. president’s comments on beef pricing to the implications of increased imports from Argentina and... Read More

Despite industry expectations of a seasonal pullback, cattle markets are once again surprising analysts and producers alike, climbing higher in early October. Volatility remains the dominant theme, as prices fluctuate weekly in both cash and futures markets, while beef imports rise sharply to offset tightening domestic supply. “Every time the market kind of does a... Read More

Seasonal price declines are typical for this time of year, but the September slowdown in wholesale and fed cattle markets is drawing sharper attention amid a backdrop of volatile futures and supply uncertainty. In this week’s episode of the Beef Market Update, Anne Wasko of Gateway Livestock Exchange notes that fed cattle prices have continued... Read More

Fed cattle prices in Canada are holding steady even as U.S. markets begin to soften following the Labour Day weekend. While some may get a little nervous about prices stalling out, the pullback could reflect a healthy seasonal correction, says Anne Wasko of Gateway Livestock Exchange. “We’ve just come off all-time record highs in both... Read More

It’s another record-setting week for the cattle market as RealAg Radio host Shaun Haney checks in with Anne Wasko of the Gateway Livestock Exchange for this Beef Market Update. As both U.S. and Canadian markets post new highs, attention turns to placements, packer margins, and the long-term outlook for herd rebuilding on both sides of... Read More

In this Beef Market Update, Anne Wasko of Gateway Livestock Exchange joins RealAgriculture’s Shaun Haney to break down the latest cash and wholesale market moves, trade flows, and forward cattle sales activity — all against a backdrop of tight supplies and strong demand. Mid-August cattle markets remain on a hot streak, with both U.S. and... Read More

In this Beef Market Update, Anne Wasko of the Gateway Livestock Exchange joins Lyndsey Smith to break down a bullish start to August for cattle markets and the latest from U.S. supply reports. Key Highlights from the Update: Moisture boosts optimism: Parts of southwest Saskatchewan received steady July rains, improving forage and crop conditions, though... Read More

Despite a whirlwind of global trade tensions and fluctuating markets, North America's beef sector remains resilient, with cash cattle prices demonstrating surprising strength well into July. In this episode of the Beef Market Update, Shaun Haney is joined as always by market analyst Anne Wasko of Gateway Livestock Exchange to discuss the latest cattle market... Read More

The calendar is sliding into the dog days of summer — and grills across the continent are working overtime. That's good news for cattle markets, and to break down the cash prices, cattle movement, and inventory, we've got host of the Beef Market Update Shaun Haney with Anne Wasko of the Gateway Livestock Exchange. In... Read More

In this week’s Beef Market Update, Shaun Haney is joined by Anne Wasko of Gateway Livestock Exchange to discuss the week’s explosive cattle markets and what’s on the horizon for Canadian producers. Southern U.S. markets were on fire, with Texas and Kansas live cattle prices jumping $5–$8 higher. Dressed trade in Nebraska saw gains of... Read More

Cattle prices continue to push higher, but the real story may be what’s coming this fall, and how early signs are shaping expectations. In this episode of the Beef Market Update, Anne Wasko of Gateway Livestock Exchange joins RealAgriculture's Lyndsey Smith to discuss the latest market movements heading into the U.S. Memorial Day weekend, describing... Read More

It is getting hot out there, and the thermometer isn't the only thing that has been going up — cattle markets continue to sizzle. In this episode of the Beef Market Update, Anne Wasko of Gateway Livestock Exchange tells RealAgriculture's Shaun Haney that once again the markets are reaching new high price territory. Prices in... Read More

It's pretty difficult to talk cattle markets without also talking about beef, and this episode of RealAgriculture's Beef Market Update is no exception. With continued market highs, the conversation between Anne Wasko of Gateway Livestock Exchange and RealAgriculture's Shaun Haney quickly turns to comparisons between current cattle prices and those seen during the early stages... Read More

Cattle markets in the U.S. mirrored the volatility seen across equity, bond, and currency markets this week. U.S. markets seesawed this week — falling early, rebounding mid-week, then sliding again by Friday, as Anne Wasko of Gateway Livestock Exchange tells RealAgriculture's Shaun Haney in this episode of Beef Market Update. Canadian markets, however, have held... Read More

"Incredible" and "on-fire" are just a couple of descriptors that Anne Wasko of Gateway Livestock Exchange uses to describe the markets in this episode of Beef Market Update. When it comes to the U.S., new records continue to be set and Wasko says that a 'pile of cattle' were traded last week. This week started... Read More

Erratic is the word of the day and the markets are responding hour-by-hour, day-to-day, and week-to-week with the news, says Anne Wasko of Gateway Livestock Exchange in this episode of the Beef Market Update. In the southern U.S., cash markets bounced back last week and have managed to hold those gains. This follows a cycle... Read More

This week held no big surprises in the beef markets. While markets were lower last week, Anne Wasko of Gateway Livestock Exchange surmised that would continue into this week and confirmed that it has. The dressed market in the U.S. is down and the wholesale market is under pressure as well; however, showing signs of... Read More

Markets in the United States faltered this week. While prices hit a high two weeks ago, this week they settled $7–$8 lower than last week. Unsurprisingly for the time of year, packers have cut kills this week, but that wasn’t enough to support the choice cutout, which dropped $6.50. While the U.S. experienced reduced prices,... Read More

Coming off some near-month contract highs of $200-/+ it's no surprise to see futures falling as the week closes out, but cash cattle in the south ticked higher as they caught up to northern prices this past week (Check out the related story on cattle futures here). The cutout did show signs of weakening in... Read More

Strong and high prices across the board was the story in the cattle markets this week. In the southern U.S., trade remains steady at $2.01. Anne Wasko of Gateway Livestock Exchange highlights that this is the first time she has reported prices at this level on the Beef Market Update. Nebraska markets are steady to... Read More

There are some years that start off slowly when it comes to the cattle markets, however 2025 is off to a great start with prices up across the board in the U.S. The Choice cut-out has been driving some of that, Anne Wasko with the Gateway Livestock Exchange explains in this first episode of Beef... Read More

2024 will go down as a year of market demand that was stronger than could have ever been anticipated. This exceptional demand helped to drive the smaller supply of beef to reach record prices. In this last episode of the Beef Market Update for 2024, Anne Wasko of Gateway Livestock Exchange reflects on the past... Read More

The Christmas holidays are almost upon us and while Christmas markets may be busy with shoppers looking for the perfect gift in the coming weeks, the cattle markets have started to slow down in the U.S., as a lot of the buying has been done for the season. Now that we have hit December it's... Read More

Markets in the U.S. experienced a bounce this week from the downward trend that they were on due to packers running smaller fed-cattle kills in the last few weeks. That support under the cutout has been supporting the cash markets. The select spread has widened again which continues to confirm that demand for those high... Read More

Trade was slow to get moving this week in the U.S. In this Beef Market Update, Anne Wasko of the Gateway Livestock Exchange tells RealAgriculture's Shaun Haney that this could be due to packers possibly dragging their feet on the choice cut out, which has lost some of its momentum. There is still a strong... Read More

Holiday season — the U.S. Thanksgiving and Christmas time of year — is around the corner, and that's showing in the beef market. The upcoming holidays are impacting the choice cutout and while the chuck primal is starting to come off, the strength of the market is in the loin and rib cutouts, says Anne... Read More

Steady to higher seems to be the common theme in the majority of cattle markets throughout North America. In the southern U.S., it looks like the trades are going to come in steady to one higher and the north is pretty steady with last week, says Anne Wasko of the Gateway Livestock Exchange in this... Read More

In the Beef Market Update this week, Anne Wasko of Gateway Livestock Exchange and RealAgriculture's Shaun Haney start the conversation with the good news that the U.S. fat cattle market in the south and the live market in the north appear to be gaining some ground, coming off of the early September lows. That being... Read More