Demand for beef is high, and herd numbers are low

It’s an exciting time to be in the cattle business, says the executive director of the Washington Cattlemen’s Association.

Chelsea Hajny said the market is high in cattle sales, partly because the national herd average is at an all-time low. According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, all cattle and calves in the U.S. on July 1 totaled 95.9 million head, a drop of 3% from a year ago.

On the other hand, the demand for beef among American consumers continues to grow.

“Beef is the number one protein source and people continue to choose beef, which is exciting,” Hajny said.

“Everything in agriculture is cyclical. We see market highs and market lows, but I think (the beef/cattle industry) has done a really good job of telling our story. Beef is safe; it’s healthy and people just like it. They choose beef because it tastes good.”

The current trend is a switch from the past few years of market lows that resulted from high input costs, drought and other factors, she added.

“It’s a nice break that we are in and hopefully we’ll be profitable in terms of our year-end goal.”

Hajny said she doesn’t believe the COVID-19 pandemic had a huge impact on the cattle market, although one positive aspect of that period is that it forced more people to begin cooking at home.

One of the bigger challenges for Washington and Idaho cattle producers this year has been drought that reduced forage and forced ranchers to begin feeding hay sooner than normal.

Another positive sign in the industry is that more younger people are turning toward ranching as a way to make a living.

Hajny said even 10 years ago fewer young people were staying on the farm and farm families were being forced to sell out or modify their business.

“It’s a hard way to make a living,” Hajny said. “Farming and ranching is a passion because it’s difficult. But what we are seeing is this insurgence of younger people hanging onto farms or starting their own farm. Direct marketing is really growing, and in Washington state we are seeing younger families getting involved. That’s really exciting to us.”

Hajny said the Washington Cattlemen’s Association is encouraging people to stay connected through its website at washingtoncattlemen.org, or by calling (509) 925-9871.

“We just want to engage,” Hajny said. “The organization belongs to our members. We are better in numbers and the work we do is important to keep this lifestyle available for generations to come.” n

Hedberg may be contacted at khedberg@lmtribune.com.