(BLOOMINGTON) USDA’s initial livestock outlook for 2026 points to increases in pork, broiler, turkey, and dairy production, while beef production is expected to decline and lamb production stay the same. With pork production projected to increase nearly 3% to 28.3 billion pounds this year, turkey production is expected to go up by nearly 3% to 5 billion pounds. The production of broilers is forecast to increase 1% in 2026, while commerical lamb and mutton production is projected to total 134 million pounds, essentially unchanged from 2025. Cows in milk production are forecast to decrease, although milk production per cow is expected to grow by less than 1%. The USDA’s outlook expects beef cattle supplies to remain tight and feedlot inventories to decline in 2026 with commercial beef production forecast to drop slightly.
