By Scout Nelson
Nebraska’s 2025 winter wheat crop is forecast at 32.3 million bushels, showing a significant decline of 32% compared to last year. The average yield is expected to reach 38 bushels per acre, down 14 bushels from the previous season, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).
While wheat production is down, NASS reports that hay stocks in Nebraska are up sharply. Total hay reserves are estimated at 1.75 million tons, an increase of 84% compared to last year, offering some support to the state’s livestock producers.
Meanwhile, USDA-APHIS has closed the U.S.–Mexico border to cattle imports once again due to the detection of screwworm. According to the Daily Livestock Report, 197,844 head of feeder cattle have been imported from Mexico so far in 2025—a 60% decline compared to the same period last year.
In industry news, Feedstuffs reported that meat processing giant JBS had a strong start to 2025. The company posted 8% growth in net revenue, with a net profit of $500 million—50% higher than the first quarter of 2024. The company’s poultry and pork divisions led the gains. However, JBS Beef North America saw net sales grow 15%, though earnings remained unchanged.
Deere & Co. faced a challenging quarter, as reported by the Wall Street Journal. The company incurred $100 million in tariff-related expenses during the quarter ending April 27. Executives forecast these costs could exceed $500 million by year-end.
Axios shared that new tariffs implemented by the Government could cost the average U.S. household more than $2,300 annually, according to the Yale Budget Lab’s estimates.
Photo Credit:gettyimages-ygrek
Categories: Nebraska, Livestock, Dairy Cattle