Article: Factors affecting beef and cattle producer prices movements: in 2003, beef producer price movements demonstrated changes in supply and demand; previous liquidation, Mad Cow Disease, steady demand, feed prices, and slaughter weights all influenced these changes.

Producer prices for beef and veal rose 16.3 percent in October 2003, the largest monthly gain since April 1975. October slaughter cattle prices exhibited the largest monthly gain since January 1974, rising 20.4 percent. The index for beef and veal was the primary accelerator for the 2.0-percent gain in the finished consumer foods index, which, in turn, was a major force in the 0.5-percent jump in overall prices for finished goods. The increase in prices for slaughter cattle heavily influenced the index for crude foodstuffs and feedstuffs to climb 7.8 percent and push crude good prices up 2.6 percent. (1)

The October gains, while more substantial than earlier ...

Related newspaper, magazine, and journal articles:

 
 
Newsweek Harper's Magazine The Washington Post Chicago Tribune Crain's Chicago Business PRNewswire Pediatric News The Nation Advertising Age The Economist (US) A FREE trial gives you access to over 80 million articles! Access over 6,500 publications with a FREE trial!