USDA April 2020 Livestock Outlook: COVID‑19 Impacts Lower Beef Production and Prices
By USDA Economic Research Service | April 15, 2020
During the height of COVID‑19 disruptions, the April report predicted that beef production would fall sharply for the remainder of 2020 as packing plants slowed or closed. Although first‑quarter slaughter had been brisk, the pandemic was expected to limit slaughter capacity and reduce carcass weights later in the year. The report also highlighted a 21 % jump in U.S. beef imports in February and reduced export expectations due to global uncertainty.
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