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Cattle producers caught in brutal market conditions

Many cattle producers are caught in very turbulent market conditions.

Cora Fox with the Iowa Cattlemens Association says the cost of inputs is a concern.

“And actually more so concerning (are) delivery dates. We’re hearing from producers that delivery dates for slaughter are actually pretty far out, quite a few weeks away. And in some cases, if they’ve come to an agreement with their buyer, they’re asking for that to be extended.”

She tells Brownfield she’s not sure what’s behind the delays.

“But what that does for us as producers is put you in a predicament where you’re forced to continue feeding cattle that high-quality, high-value corn, which is pretty brutal.”

Fox says most cattle producers are having a difficult time breaking even right now.