February 2026 Florida Cattle Market Update

Stabilizing & Growing the Herd: What We Know & Don’t Know

 For this update, I wanted to provide some “quick facts” concerning inventory, prices, and differences in this cycle. Both producers and consumers are navigating decision-making in uncharted territory as we enter year 12 of the current cattle cycle, with the tightest cattle supplies since 1961.

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Tight supplies + strong consumer demand = high cattle & beef prices

Protein is popular. Consumers are showing they are willing to pay for a high-quality beef product knowing it is a prime source of protein. Of all beef graded in 2025, 12% graded prime compared to 10.8% in 2024. The all-fresh beef retail average price in 2025 was $8.84/lb. Tight supplies are certainly a driver of high prices, but consumer demand will continue to be the key driver. As of February 20th, prices for 500-600-pound steers in Florida were 44% higher ($164/cwt) than February 2025. Eventually, expansion will gradually result in more breeding stock, more calves, more beef, and lower cattle and beef prices.

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The emphasis is on gradually. Expansion this time around is expected to be much slower, primarily due to higher inputs and hesitancy associated with how quickly the market turned in 2015. We know that tight supplies and consumer demand will drive future cow-calf profitability. However, we do not know if or when consumer demand will decline as beef prices reach a certain level, the effects of ongoing trade deals and re-opening the border, weather effects on forage availability, and many other unknowns. We are no longer comparing apples to apples (now to 2014-2015), but rather apples to oranges which makes risk management strategies a non-negotiable in this market.

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Use the following link for a more detailed discussion of inventory, prices, beef production, and more heading into 2026:

Annual Cattle Market Update January 2026