Historic cattle returns still possible

While more headwinds are facing the industry compared to last year, prices are still strong for cow-calf producers in Iowa and beyond.

Tight cattle inventories and declining feed costs are fueling historic profit margins for U.S. cow-calf operations heading into the fall of 2026, although producers face growing headwinds from a regional screwworm outbreak and volatile weather patterns, according to Brenda Boetel, an...