The U.S. cattle industry had about $64 billion in sales in 2016. Prices for fed cattle—those ready for slaughter—have fluctuated substantially over time. For example, they increased by 39% between 2013 and 2014, then dropped by 42% by the end of 2016. Cattle producers have raised questions about these fluctuations and USDA’s oversight.
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that the Packers & Stockyards Program, which oversees the cattle industry within USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), does not have access to certain data that AMS collects. GAO recommended that USDA examine the appropriate level of data sharing for oversight.
