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The Effects Of U.S. Meat Packing And Livestock Production Technologies On Marketing Margins And Prices

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  • Brester, Gary W.
  • Marsh, John M.

Abstract

Real livestock prices and farm-wholesale marketing margins have steadily declined over the past 20 years. Studies examining the causes of these declines have generally failed to account directly for technological change in livestock production and red meat slaughtering. We estimate reduced-form models for beef and pork farm-wholesale marketing margins and cattle and hog prices that include specific measures of technological change. Empirical results indicate cost savings generated by improved meat packing technologies have reduced real margins and positively influenced real cattle and hog prices. However, technological change embodied in cattle production weights has led to substantial declines in real slaughter cattle prices. Nonetheless, the net effect of improved meat packing technology has been to increase cattle price by $1.75/cwt and reduce the farm-wholesale beef marketing margin by 22.8 cents/lb.

Suggested Citation

  • Brester, Gary W. & Marsh, John M., 2001. "The Effects Of U.S. Meat Packing And Livestock Production Technologies On Marketing Margins And Prices," Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Western Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 26(2), pages 1-18, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:jlaare:31052
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.31052
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    1. Cai, Xiaowei & Stiegert, Kyle W. & Koontz, Stephen R., 2009. "Oligopsony Power: Evidence from the U.S. Beef Packing Industry," 2009 Annual Meeting, July 26-28, 2009, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 49364, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    2. Boonsaeng, Tullaya & Wohlgenant, Michael K., 2006. "The Demand for Livestock by the U.S. Meat Processing Industry," 2006 Annual meeting, July 23-26, Long Beach, CA 21120, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    3. Dai, Jiawu & Li, Xun & Wang, Xiuqing & Yu, Qiushuo & Mao, Xiaojie, 2015. "Food Scares, Market Power and Farm-Retail Price Spread: The Case of Pork Market in China," 2015 AAEA & WAEA Joint Annual Meeting, July 26-28, San Francisco, California 205121, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    4. Marsh, John M. & Brester, Gary W., 2004. "Wholesale-Retail Marketing Margin Behavior in the Beef and Pork Industries," Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Western Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 29(1), pages 1-20, April.
    5. Tronstad, Russell & Feuz, Dillon M., 2002. "Impacts Of The 2002 Drought On Western Ranches And Public Land Policies," Western Economics Forum, Western Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 1(2), pages 1-6.
    6. Oral Capps Jr. & Sergio Colin‐Castillo & Manuel A. Hernandez, 2013. "Do Marketing Margins Change with Food Scares? Examining the Effects of Food Recalls and Disease Outbreaks in the U.S. Red Meat Industry," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(4), pages 426-454, September.
    7. Gary W. Brester & Kole Swanser, 2021. "The Impact of Cattle Hide and Byproduct Values on Cattle Price Declines in 2020," MSU Staff Papers 309621, Montana State University > Department of Agricultural Economics and Economics.
    8. Morales, L. Emilio, 2017. "The Effects of International Price Volatility on Farmer Prices and Marketing Margins in Cattle Markets," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 21(3), December.

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