USDA to reinstate July cattle report, other crop reports

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) announced it will reinstate several key data collection programs suspended last year due to budget constraints. Among these, the July Cattle Inventory report and County Estimates for Crops and Livestock are set to return, providing essential data to farmers, ranchers and market analysts.

Last year, the agency stopped these reports, along with the Cotton Objective Yield Survey, as part of cost-cutting measures. The decision raised concerns from agricultural groups, including Texas Farm Bureau, for fear of losing access to critical market data that provides transparency and informs both on-farm decisions and government programs.

“Given the current cattle cycle, this is good news,” said Tracy Tomascik, Texas Farm Bureau associate director of Commodity and Regulatory Activities. “The mid-year report gives cattle producers an indication of the replacement heifer inventory and whether the nation’s cattle herd is trending up or down.”

The July Cattle report provides mid-year estimates and breaks down beef and dairy numbers, as well as replacement heifers and calves that will determine future supplies.

“This report helps ranchers who are planning for their futures,” Tomascik said. “The report offers both a snapshot of current cattle numbers and insights into drought status, as well as cattle numbers across the states.”