# As new beef packers continue to build, cattle herd continues to shrink | Western Livestock Journal

> USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack visited Upper Iowa Beef in Lime Springs, Iowa, which received $8.8 million in federal funding to expand carcass coolers, pens and wastewater capacity. Industry members say new packers add buyer competition for cattle in the state.

- Date: 2023-10-20 · published 2023-10-20T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: policy · region US · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/10313-as-new-beef-packers-continue-to-build-cattle-herd-continues-to-shrink-western
- Commodities: [Live Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/LCATTLE.md), [Feeder Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/FCATTLE.md)

## Why it matters

New packing capacity adds competition for cattle, which could support feeder and fed cattle prices over time, though the effect on feed demand is modest and gradual.

## Read by commodity

- FCATTLE: bullish ▲
- LCATTLE: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| LCATTLE | 2022-06-03 | [Pete's Comments: Markets are moving \| Western Livestock Journal](https://feedsoft.ai/events/7264-pete-s-comments-markets-are-moving-western-livestock-journal.md) | +0.9% | +3.6% |
| LCATTLE | 2017-10-27 | [Futures File: Tighter supplies lead to higher gas prices; cattle futures hit new highs – Greeley Tribune](https://feedsoft.ai/events/5334-futures-file-tighter-supplies-lead-to-higher-gas-prices-cattle-futures-hit-new.md) | +7.2% | +5.7% |
| LCATTLE | 2022-04-18 | [NCBA renews call for suspension of Brazilian beef imports - Progressive Cattle \| Ag Proud](https://feedsoft.ai/events/41785-ncba-renews-call-for-suspension-of-brazilian-beef-imports-progressive-cattle-ag.md) | +1.4% | -1.5% |
| LCATTLE | 2022-11-29 | [Removal of China’s domestic price trade barriers could increase China’s imports of agricultural commodities - High Plains Journal](https://feedsoft.ai/events/14880-removal-of-china-s-domestic-price-trade-barriers-could-increase-china-s-imports.md) | +0.3% | +1.5% |
| LCATTLE | 2026-09-03 | [When Trump policies stir up beef with ranchers, Brooke Rollins is left doing damage control \| CNN Politics](https://feedsoft.ai/events/17421-when-trump-policies-stir-up-beef-with-ranchers-brooke-rollins-is-left-doing.md) | +1.3% | +2.3% |
| FCATTLE | 2022-06-03 | [Pete's Comments: Markets are moving \| Western Livestock Journal](https://feedsoft.ai/events/7264-pete-s-comments-markets-are-moving-western-livestock-journal.md) | +1.8% | +0.9% |
| FCATTLE | 2022-04-18 | [NCBA renews call for suspension of Brazilian beef imports - Progressive Cattle \| Ag Proud](https://feedsoft.ai/events/41785-ncba-renews-call-for-suspension-of-brazilian-beef-imports-progressive-cattle-ag.md) | -0.2% | -0.2% |
| FCATTLE | 2026-09-03 | [When Trump policies stir up beef with ranchers, Brooke Rollins is left doing damage control \| CNN Politics](https://feedsoft.ai/events/17421-when-trump-policies-stir-up-beef-with-ranchers-brooke-rollins-is-left-doing.md) | +4.3% | +6.2% |

## Sources

- wlj.net: https://www.wlj.net/as-new-beef-packers-continue-to-build-cattle-herd-continues-to-shrink/

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.