Tyson Foods CFO says U.S. cattle supplies to stay tight into 2027; TSN manages beef pressure

Tyson Foods CFO Curt Calaway said on May 13, 2026, that U.S. cattle producers are making uneven efforts to rebuild the national herd, keeping beef supplies tight into 2026 and 2027 as record cattle costs pressure meatpackers. Calaway told a BMO conference webcast that heifer retention remains “spotty and regional,” limiting herd rebuilding. U.S. beef prices are more than 16% higher since President Donald Trump took office in January 2025, while prices for eggs, milk and other staples have declined. Tyson has closed a major beef plant in Nebraska and reduced operations at a Texas facility, cutting thousands of jobs as cattle costs outpaced beef selling prices. Calaway said the company is beginning to see benefits from those cutbacks. Trump is weighing steps to lower beef import tariffs and reduce producer regulations, though the American Farm Bureau Federation warned higher imports could discourage long-term herd rebuilding.