Welcome to BEEF's BEEF Banter—the podcast where we dig into the real issues shaping the beef industry. From markets and meat quality to policy, production, and beyond—nothing's off the table.
Join your hosts Sarah Muirhead, Clint Peck, and Nevil Speer as they break down the latest news, tackle tough topics, and dive into everything beef.
Beef prices are suddenly everyone’s favorite talking point, but the real story is more nuanced and a lot more useful for producers and anyone who cares about the beef supply chain. We start with what we’re seeing in cattle markets right now: fed cattle churning in a tight range, signs of a possible support level, and why that matters as we head toward better seasonal demand. We also put feeder cattle and calf demand into context with feedyard capacity and the corn market, because cost pressur...
9 Sept 2026
Political noise adds volatility to markets
Markets can fall fast, but the bigger question is what’s actually changing and what’s just noise. We sit down to unpack a tough summer for the fed cattle market, where equity has been wiped out from the highs even as the longer-term trend still reflects years of growth. Along the way, we talk plainly about what ranchers and farmers feel every day: diesel prices that keep climbing, freight rates nobody wants to lock in, and the strain that comes when costs move faster than your plan. From the...
11 Aug 2026
Time to make it rain
Beef markets can feel like a storm cloud one week and a reset button the next, so we slow things down and look at what’s actually happening underneath the noise. I’m Sarah Muirhead, joined by Clint Peck and Nevil Speer, and we start with the market mood shift after a sharp correction. We talk fed cattle and feeder cattle signals, why demand can get “choppy,” and how oil and gas prices hit both investor confidence and the everyday consumer psyche. From there, we move from prices to the real c...
24 Jun 2026
Screwworm 'panic' meets ranch math
Cattle prices are ripping higher, and the numbers are hard to ignore: fed cattle clawed back to roughly the $260 level, feeders are running well ahead of last year, and choice cutout has moved above $400. We talk through what those signals actually mean for producers on the ground, including why a strong market can still be fragile when expectations get too comfortable. Our big message is simple: protect your equity. We keep coming back to risk management and LRP because the best time to plan...
19 May 2026
Political, regulatory noise could lead to potential risks for beef industry
Record cattle prices sound like nothing but good news, until you look at the risks stacked behind them. We’re Sarah Muirhead, Clint Peck, and Nevil Speer, and we open with a clear-eyed cattle market update: fed cattle trade at record levels, feeder cattle values that reflect intense beef demand, and the uncomfortable truth that big numbers make risk management more important, not less. From there, the conversation shifts to what may be the real driver of summer decisions: drought. Dry condit...
10 Apr 2026
Screwworm risk conversation often comes back to wildlife
Fed cattle flirting with $250. Feeder steers bringing numbers that make you blink twice. Bottle calves selling for more than they “should.” When prices get this strong, it’s easy to celebrate and just as easy to forget how much equity is suddenly sitting out there exposed. In this episode, BEEF Banter hosts Sarah Muirhead, Clint Peck and Nevil Speer talk through what they are hearing in the cattle markets, why beef demand is still the real engine behind these higher prices, and what th...
5 Mar 2026
Inside the beef market: Prices, policy, and meat inspection
Record highs feel great—until you realize how much equity is on the line. In this episode, we connect the dots between oil prices, consumer sentiment, and what actually moves steak and burger demand when gas stations turn into psychological tripwires. The picture that emerges isn’t simple, but it’s clear: demand has been carefully built over decades, and it’s paying off right now. We also take on one of the biggest lightning rods: calls to “reform” meat inspection, especially for imports. Fr...
6 Feb 2026
From feedlot to forecast: Building resilient beef businesses
The buzz on the CattleCon 2026 floor was loud, but the signal clear: beef demand is surging, supplies are tight, and discipline—not euphoria—is what will secure the next leg of growth. We unpack why fed cattle are pressing back toward highs after a rough fall and how consumers keep trading up for better beef even as prices climb. The throughline is quality: decades of work in genetics, handling, and verification have turned consistency into a competitive moat that shields value and fuels repe...
12 Jan 2026
Beef prices, policy and power
Prices are rising, volumes are steady, and the message is unmistakable: beef demand is doing the heavy lifting. We open the new year by breaking down why fed cattle values remain strong even as carcass weights keep output near recent norms, what a potential 2027 peak could look like, and how heifer retention decisions may tighten supplies sooner than many expect. Rather than chase headlines or react to every policy flare-up, we lay out a clear approach to risk: define rules, manage emotion, a...
8 Dec 2025
Inside the beef supply chain: Prices, packing plants and policy
A sharp market slide can rattle confidence; a quick rebound tells a different story. We open with a clear-eyed look at fed and feeder cattle recovering into year-end, then zoom out to the production data that matters: billions of pounds moving through a system powered by strong consumer demand. Prices are firm not because shelves are empty, but because the eating experience keeps earning its premium. From there, BEEF Banter hosts Sarah Muirhead, Clint Peck and Nevil Speer tackle the headline...
10 Nov 2025
Markets hold while policy noise grows
Strong demand, softer futures, and a seasonal calf run—this week we untangle what’s signal and what’s noise across the beef supply chain. Sarah Muirhead sits down with BEEF contributors Clint Peck and Nevil Speer to map out where cash cattle and feeders actually stand, why corn’s recent firming matters for feedyard margins, and how to use futures or LRP to define downside while preserving upside when volatility spikes. We tackle the renewed call for a meatpacker investigation with a clear-ey...
20 Oct 2025
Beef too expensive? Says who, with what calculator
A single hint of “we’re working a deal” sent futures skidding and producers asking what comes next. We pull back the curtain on why vague policy signals spark outsized volatility, what inflation-adjusted prices actually show about beef affordability, and how strong consumer demand continues to drive both retail aisles and restaurant menus. The headline might be “beef is too expensive,” but the underlying story is about uncertainty, incentives, and the long shadows cast by drought and credit. ...
25 Sept 2025
Potential government incentives for heifer retention?
America's beef industry continues to ride an extraordinary wave of prosperity, marking 238 consecutive weeks of better prices year-over-year since March 2021. Fed cattle prices hover around $240, while feeder cattle values have skyrocketed to approximately $360 per hundredweight—representing a staggering $1,000 more per head than just twelve months ago. This price explosion has dramatically increased the equity requirements for cattle feeders, with a 50,000-head operation now needing an addit...
25 Aug 2025
Do better prices mean more risk for the beef sector?
Beef markets are soaring to unprecedented heights. The choice cutout recently closed above $400 - a genuine milestone that marks the first time we've crossed this threshold outside of COVID-19's chaotic market disruptions. This remarkable achievement isn't just a number; it's a testament to unwavering consumer demand for beef despite premium prices. With fed steers averaging nearly $245 and feeder cattle indices hitting $350, producers across the industry are experiencing a golden moment. Ho...
21 Jul 2025
Wolf wars and wallet wonders: Beef's modern balancing act
A remarkable resilience characterizes today's beef market, with fed cattle trading around $235 and calves selling at unprecedented prices approaching $2,200 per head. Behind these impressive numbers lies a fundamental story of demand rather than mere consumption. The beef industry has successfully expanded the entire economic pie through unwavering focus on consumer preferences and quality consistency. This 40-year journey to improve production systems has eliminated what was once a co...
26 Jun 2025
BEEF Banter Podcast: Markets, carcass values and methane madness
Industry experts analyze record-breaking beef prices, fed cattle averages, and beef production figures to understand the market's complexities.
27 May 2025
Trade truths: Australia, politics, and the economics of beef
Industry experts examine Australia's record-breaking cattle market, exploring the political and economic factors driving unprecedented prices and challenging historical comparisons.
28 Apr 2025
BEEF Banter Podcast: Inside the economics of today's cattle market
Clint Peck and Nevil Speer analyze the economics of today's cattle market, highlighting the resilience of fed cattle prices despite international trade challenges in this interview.
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Podcast Authority Score: 11 / 100
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