Episode Details

The Friggin' Farm & Ranch Report — Thursday, May 14, 2026

Host: Matt McKinley from Yerington, Nevada

Cash cattle hold at $260 live in the South while futures stay skeptical. Wheat surges again on WASDE-driven drought concerns. The Fertilizer Institute testifies to Congress on the Hormuz disruption's impact on global fertilizer supply. North Dakota pastureland tops $1,000/acre — a national first in survey data. Beijing's Day 1 readout of the Trump-Xi summit adds geopolitical context to ag markets. We break down what this means for cattle margins, feed costs, and policy risk — with a local lens from Nevada.

Stories covered:

- Trump delays beef tariff order; market reaction and packer dynamics

- Cash cattle at $260; futures skepticism and breakeven math

- Wheat & grains rally on WASDE drought pricing

- Hormuz disruption and fertilizer (urea/phosphate) price implications

- APHIS brucellosis policy update near Yellowstone

- Drought Monitor: D3/D4 expansion

- ND pastureland tops $1,000/acre nationwide first

- Beijing Day 1 readout: Trump-Xi summit

- Fallon/Great Basin sale barn records on light calves

Chapters:

00:00 Cold open

01:30 Tariffs: Trump delays beef tariff order

04:00 Cattle: cash $260 and futures dynamics

07:30 Wheat & grains: WASDE fallout

10:15 Fertilizer & Hormuz

12:45 Beijing Day 1 readout

15:30 Brucellosis/APHIS update

18:00 Drought Monitor update

20:45 ND pastureland values

23:30 War reel recap

25:30 Beef export read-through

28:15 Fallon/Nevada sale barn color

32:00 Three to watch for Friday

34:00 Close and callouts

Got sale barn numbers? Send them in — we'll weave them into Friday's wrap.

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