Overview
Animal products account for the majority (51 percent)
of the value of U.S. agricultural products, exceeding
$100 billion per year. ERS analyzes conditions and events
that influence supply, demand, trade, and prices in livestock,
dairy, poultry, and aquaculture markets. This briefing
room examines issues not easily assigned to a particular
livestock commodity, such as price reporting or animal
health and welfare.
Information about specific livestock commodities
are in separate briefing rooms.
Features
Global Agricultural Supply and Demand: Factors Contributing to the Recent Increase in Food Commodity Prices (May 2008) explores the many factors that have contributed to the runup in food commodity prices over the last 2 years.
Economic Impacts of Foreign Animal Disease (May 2008) presents a quarterly livestock and crop modeling framework in which epidemiological model results are integrated with an economic model of the U.S. agricultural sector to estimate the economic impacts of outbreaks of foreign-source livestock diseases. A hypothetical outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) results in large trade-related losses for beef, beef cattle, hogs, and pork, even though relatively few animals are destroyed. The best control strategies prove to be those that reduce the duration of the outbreak.
Recommended Readings
Economic Impacts of Feed-Related Regulatory Responses to Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (September 2008) reports that, unlike the short-term disease impacts and intermediate-term trade effects, the economic effects of policy responses to animal disease outbreaks can be much greater and much longer lasting. Using Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) as an example, this paper demonstrates the pervasiveness of the effects of restrictive feed policies and regulations, particularly as they relate to meat and bone meal and other protein feeds.
How Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1) Has Affected World Poultry-Meat Trade (October 2007) discusses the impact of H5N1 strain of avian influenza on world poultry markets during 2003-06. Consumer fears adversely affected poultry consumption in many countries, but as consumers gained confidence that poultry was safe if properly handled and cooked, world demand for cooked poultry increased.
Global Market Opportunities Drive Beef Production Decisions in Argentina and Uruguay (April 2008) describes traceability programs in these countries designed to help mitigate animal disease outbreaks, like foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). Keeping their herds free of FMD and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is a major concern. Improved traceability programs, pasture-based production systems, and long-standing bans against feeding antibiotics and other growth promotants, as well as against feeding meat and bone meal to cattle, help both countries manage and mitigate disease outbreaks and meet the health and sanitary standards of international customers. For the full report, see Beef Production, Markets and Trade in Argentina and Uruguay: An Overview (September 2007).
See all recommended readings...
Recommended Data Products
Commodity Yearbooks
contain annual historical market data for beef, pork,
lamb, dairy, and poultry.
Livestock and Meat Trade Data contains monthly and annual data for imports and exports of live cattle, hogs, sheep, and goats, as well as beef and veal, pork, lamb and mutton, chicken meat, turkey meat, and eggs. The tables report physical quantities, not dollar values or unit prices. Data on beef and veal, pork, and lamb and mutton are on a carcass-weight-equivalent basis. Breakdowns by country are included.
Meat Price Spreads
presents monthly data on farm-to-retail price spreads
for beef, pork, broilers, turkeys, and eggs in Excel and
html formats. Also included are farm-to-wholesale and
wholesale-to-retail spreads and retail prices.
Commodity and Food Elasticities Database allows queriable searches of income, expenditure, and own- and cross-price elasticities for specific commodities and countries, which can be ranked and sorted. The elasticities are mainly from U.S. research on consumer demand published in working papers, dissertations, and peer-reviewed journals. The greatest number of demand studies are for vegetables, fruits, meat, and grocery products in the United States and China.
See all recommended data products...
Glossary
Definitions
of terms used in this briefing room and links to other
online glossaries that provide additional information
about animal products and livestock.
Questions and Answers
What is meant by the phrase "animal products?" What are
the USDA grades of meat? Find the answer to this and other
frequently
asked questions about animal production and marketing
issues.
Newsletter
Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry
Outlook provides monthly market information reports
and assesses the impact of existing, proposed, or potential
policies and practices on location (domestic and international)
and structure of production and processing of animal products.
Related Briefing Rooms
Cattle
Hogs
Poultry and Eggs
Dairy
Sheep and Wool
Aquaculture
Food Marketing System in the U.S.
Food
Safety
Related Links
National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) provides data on livestock production and State- and national-level prices.
Foreign Agricultural
Service (FAS) provides reports and data on supply
and demand (including imports and exports) for major trading
countries and current world market and trade reports.
Several FAS
commodity pages are devoted to livestock
and livestock products.
See all related links...
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