USDA is making changes to its cash cattle reporting system in an effort to improve pricing transparency for American cattle producers. Beginning October twenty-sixth, USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service will introduce a new regional cash cattle report combining information from Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins says reliable and transparent pricing information is essential to a competitive cattle market.

USDA reports negotiated cash cattle transactions have declined dramatically, from more than 50 percent of sales in 2005 to less than 18 percent last year. The growing use of formula-based purchasing arrangements has created challenges for maintaining accurate regional price reports while protecting confidential business information. USDA says the new regional reporting system will provide more useful market information without requiring additional reporting from covered meatpackers.

By: NATHAN STUEDLEUSDA is making changes to its cash cattle reporting system in an effort to improve pricing transparency for American cattle producers. Beginning October twenty-sixth, USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service will introduce a new regional cash cattle report combining information from Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins says reliable and transparent pricing information is essential to a competitive cattle market.USDA reports negotiated cash cattle transactions have declined dramatically, from more than 50 percent of sales in 2005 to less than 18 percent last year. The growing use of formula-based purchasing arrangements has created challenges for maintaining accurate regional price reports while protecting confidential business information. USDA says the new regional reporting system will provide more useful market information without requiring additional reporting from covered meatpackers.

USDA updates cash cattle reports to improve market transparency