Lee Schulz · Professor of Economics
Lee Schulz is a Professor in the Department of Economics and an Extension livestock economist at Iowa State University. His integrated Extension, research, and teaching program provides leadership in the study of, and educational programming for, critical problems facing the livestock and meat industry, including marketing and risk management, agricultural and trade policies, animal health, and production and management issues.
Lee grew up on a diversified crop and livestock farm in Wisconsin and obtained a BS in agricultural business from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. He also holds an MS in agricultural economics from Michigan State University and a PhD in agricultural economics from Kansas State University.
Lee regularly collaborates with Farm Management Extension, the Iowa Pork Industry Center, the Iowa Beef Center, and industry stakeholders and producers. He has published in professional journals, Extension publications, and the farm press and has spoken at numerous professional and agricultural conferences.
Lee Schulz
Iowa State University
478D Heady Hall
518 Farm House Lane
Ames, IA 50011-1054
515-294-3356
Select a category to view below:
Ezra Butcher, Lee L. Schulz
[24-PB 43]
Steve R. Meyer, Lee L. Schulz
[24-PB 42]
Xibo Wan, Yongjie Ji, Wendong Zhang, Christopher C. Pudenz, Lee L. Schulz, Chad E. Hart, Eseul Choi, Guilherme DePaula, Xi He, Dermot J. Hayes, Hongli Feng, Zhushan Du
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John M. Crespi, Chad E. Hart, Christopher C. Pudenz, Lee L. Schulz, Oranuch Wongpiyabovorn, Wendong Zhang
[22-SR 117]
Christopher C. Pudenz, Lee L. Schulz
[21-WP 630]
(Revised)
Ezra Butcher, Lee L. Schulz
[21-PB 36]
Chad E. Hart, Dermot J. Hayes, Keri L. Jacobs, Lee L. Schulz, John M. Crespi
[20-PB 28]
Chen-Ti Chen, John M. Crespi, William Hahn, Lee L. Schulz, Fawzi Taha
[19-WP 594]
Edward J. Balistreri, Chad E. Hart, Dermot J. Hayes, Minghao Li, Lee L. Schulz, David A. Swenson, Wendong Zhang, John M. Crespi
[18-PB 25]
authors
Christopher C. Pudenz and Lee Schulz
Gary Wynne, Georgeanne Artz, Lee Schulz, and Christopher Rademacher
Chen-Ti Chen, John M. Crespi, and Lee L. Schulz
Lee Schulz and Chad Hart
Lee Schulz, Georgeanne Artz, and Patrick Gunn
Professor Lee Schulz was quoted in the Farm Progress article "Co-op helps family hog farm gain independence and security." The article focuses on a swine farm using a new production model. Schulz said "All types [of swine operations] certainly have important roles in the pork industry, and it’s important that they’re responding to their customers and overall pork consumers in providing a consistent supply of high-quality pork at competitive prices."
Professor Lee Schulz was quoted by Iowa Public Radio in the article "Bird flu outbreaks made egg prices more expensive. Here's what to know." The story examines how avian influenza has played a role in the price of eggs, which recently peaked at $3.30/dozen wholesale. Schulz said "The cost of doing business, transportation, wages, energy, all those things are much higher than the last decade. And so that has added to the price of eggs."
Also appears in:
- https://nebraskapublicmedia.org/en/news/news-articles/bird-flu-outbreaks-made-egg-prices-more-expensive-heres-what-to-know/
- https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2024-09-20/bird-flu-outbreaks-made-egg-prices-more-expensive-heres-what-to-know
- https://ipmnewsroom.org/bird-flu-outbreaks-made-egg-prices-more-expensive-heres-what-to-know/
Farm Progress featured information from Lee Schulz's presentation at the 2024 Husker Harvest Days in the article "4 ways to seize the moment in the cattle market." Schulz told the audience that current replacement prices for heifers are good. "So, if I have the resources to do it, I think this is an opportunity to retain my own calves, or to go buy open heifers or bred heifers on the market," he said.
Professor Lee Schulz was interviewed by K-State Radio for a recent edition of Agriculture Today. Schulz provided a cattle market update, in which he told K-State that "[...] Marketing cattle, were seeing very volatile returns---2024 is maybe break-even, 2025 looks a bit worse right now. But, historically, you can't really lock in profits."
Professor Lee Schulz was interviewed by Iowa Public Radio for the article "In the wake of pork plant closures, some producers take on extra costs." The story examines how pork plant closures in California, Minnesota, and Iowa have affected pork producers. Schulz told IPR that transportation costs are often part of the formula used in marketing contracts between producers and pork packers, and that until those contracts are renegotiated, producers may have to pay the higher transportation costs.
Professor Lee Schulz was interviewed by Newsweek for the article "Bird Flu Outbreak: Why Experts Say Egg Prices Could Skyrocket." The story examines the recent avian influenza outbreak in the US and how that might affect consumer egg prices. Schulz said "In the short term, the industry can adjust. So when you look at a typical month, we eat about 86 to 88% of the eggs that are laid. The other roughly 12 to 14% go back into replacing laying hens."
Also appears in:
- https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/news/bird-flu-outbreak-why-experts-say-egg-prices-could-skyrocket/ar-BB1oAQ74?ocid=finance-verthp-feeds
- https://www.the-express.com/news/us-news/141040/eggs-cost-bird-flu-impact
Associate Professor Lee Schulz was interviewed by Marketplace for the article "Will egg prices go up amid more bird flu outbreaks?" The article focuses on recent outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) and how it could affect the egg market. Schulz said that "Typically, 86-87.5% of the eggs produced within a month are consumed, and 12.5-14% of the eggs are hatched to add birds to the flock. For a short period of time, the industry could maintain supplies to consumers by retaining fewer eggs."
Associate Professor Lee Schulz was interviewed by National Public Radio for the article "2023 was tough for pig producers as costs outpaced profits. Will this year be better?" The story focuses on the current costs associated with raising hogs. Schulz told NPR that he is anticipating a 10% decrease in production costs this year; and, he noted that “Producers are getting back close to break-even levels. I think we’ve seen packers improve their margins too.”
Also appears in:
- http://www.missouriagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=240&yr=2024
Associate Professor Lee Schulz was interviewed by The Des Moines Register for the article "Iowa pork producers' losses worst in 25 years amid high costs and declining demand," which focuses on US pork producers' returns for 2023. Schulz said that pork producer losses averaged $32 per hog last year. However, losses are forecast to shrink to $18 per head this year, iss expected to be the worst two-year stretch since 1998 and 1999.
Also appears in:
- https://www.press-citizen.com/story/money/agriculture/2024/02/06/iowa-pork-producers-face-financial-loss-amid-rising-costs-low-demand/72324325007/
Associate Professor Lee Schulz spoke with Swineweb for the article "Challenges Persist for Hog Industry in 2024 Despite Potential Improvements." The article examines what the coming year may bring for US hog producers, after 2023 proved a challenging year. Schulz told Swineweb that he was leaning toward contraction in the national hog herd for 2024. He noted that the ongoing trend of breeding herd contraction may offer some market support.
Also appears in:
- http://iowaagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=75&yr=2024
Associate Professor Lee Schulz spoke with Iowa Farmer Today for the story "Livestock Outlook: Livestock markets face mixed demand," which examines the multitude of factors that will affect livestock markets in 2024. Speaking about cattle markets, Schulz said "Cow-calf producers made some good money in 2023 so they may be looking to expand. The Western U.S. has seen better conditions, and it’s still very dry in much of the Midwest. That will likely temper expansion plans for many."
Associate Professor Lee Schulz was interviewed by Farm Journal for the story "USDA Hogs and Pigs Report: Is This a Defining Moment for the Pork Industry?" The article examines the implications of the December USDA Hogs and Pigs report. Schulz said that "Defining moments are often thought of as moments of truth, but in the throes of it, they’re usually a moment of uncertainty, not clarity. But, maybe now we’re starting to see some things come into focus in marketplace as we begin to see larger supply adjustments."
Associate Professor Lee Schulz was interviewed by Farm Journal for the story "Good News for the U.S. Pork Industry: It Can’t Be Worse in 2024." The article focuses on the outlook for pork producers in 2024. Schulz told Farm Journal "Remember, the point of maximum financial opportunity is at a market bottom, when prices (or profits) are lowest. The point of maximum financial risk is at the market peak, when prices (or profits) are highest."
Associate Professor Lee Schulz was interviewed by Quartz for the story "US pork producers in 2023 are looking at their least profitable year on record." The article examines the effects of a recent dip in US pork sales. Schulz told Quartz that “Profitability as we look at 2023 and 2024 is going to be potentially the worst two-year stretch ever for pork producers."
Also appears in:
- https://m.dailyadvent.com/news/13a2b95e231212en_us
Associate Professor Lee Schulz was interviewed by Iowa Farmer Today for the story "Livestock numbers help predict trade future," which examines how the economy, international demand, and politics affect livestock trade.Schulz said that “One of the factors as of late has been the exchange rate. We have a stronger U.S. dollar, and we also have a strengthening peso which brings more trade from Mexico.” He also noted the tight U.S. beef supply could limit trade options.
Associate Professor Lee Schulz was interviewed by Farm Journal for the article "How Two Pig Farmers Are Winning People Over to Pork Now," which examines fluctuating demand in the US pork industry.Schulz told Farm Journal that “This is the worst annual year pork producers will ever have. We always talked about 1998 as the worst year ever, but 2023, collectively, will be worse than in 1998.”
Associate Professor Lee Schulz was interviewed by Agriculture Trends for the story "Meat demand still strong after record highs," which examines recent trends in US meat demand. Schulz told Agriculture Trends that "We’re starting to see demand wane a bit compared to year-ago levels. But the good news is, in historical perspective, for beef and pork, demand remains strong. We’re seeing better demand than during the last recession we had.”
Associate Professor Lee Schulz was interviewed by Agriculture Trends for the story "Feed costs impacted by growth of renewable diesel industry," which focuses on how growth in the renewable diesel industry has affected feed costs for livestock producers.Schulz said that “Soybean meal and dried distillers grains have both risen by about 11% from a year earlier and complete feeds and other ingredients are up over 20%. Higher costs coupled with compressed hog prices continue to be detrimental to profitability.”
Associate Professor Lee Schulz was interviewed by SwineWeb for the story "‘Not much appetite’ for hog expansion," which focuses on hog industry expansion in the United States. Schulz told SwineWeb that producers who broke ground a year ago are now marketing pigs, and California’s Proposition 12 law is forcing other producers to make adjustments. “Right now, there is not much appetite for hog expansion,” he said.
Associate Professor Lee Schulz was interviewed by Brownfield Ag News for the story "Seasonality and exports pushing prices higher," which examines the volatility in the US cash hog market. Schulz told Brownfield that seasonal production is a large factor. “This is typically a time where you do see stronger prices as you get into summer with tighter supplies and tighter demand as you’re working through summer grilling and promoting pork to see strong demand.”
Also appears in:
- https://1430wcmy.com/2023/06/23/seasonality-and-exports-pushing-prices-higher/
- https://www.radiokeokuk.com/seasonality-and-exports-pushing-prices-higher/
Associate Professor Lee Schulz was interviewed by Brownfield for the story "California Announces Modifications to Prop 12 Implementation." The story focuses on recently announced modifications to California's Proposition 12, which will have impacts on Iowa's hog industry.Schulz told Brownfield “We know now that the CDFA will not enforce it till the end of the year. In their language, it’s really anything that is in production is going to be able to work through that supply chain.”
Also appears in:
- https://1430wcmy.com/2023/06/22/california-announces-modifications-to-prop-12-implementation/
- https://kgfw.com/2023/06/22/california-announces-modifications-to-prop-12-implementation/
Associate Professor Lee Schulz was interviewed by Farm Progress for the story "Pork producers deal with trying times," which details how US hog production is facing low profitability and pressure form outside forces.Schulz told Farm Progress that “We have seen some of the highest receipts ever but have to take into consideration the increase in costs, and we really don’t see much on the positive side for pork production—2023 could potentially be the worst year ever for pork producers.”
Associate Professor Lee Schulz was interviewed by Progressive Farmer for the story "Walmart to Build Case-Ready Beef Plant," which details Walmart's plans to develop and end-to-end supply chain strategy for consumer beef products. Schulz told Progressive Farmer that "It's a continuation of Walmart's strategy as they highlight to be end-to-end business operations in the beef supply chain." Schulz also noted that cost may be a factor for Walmart's plans as well---beef prices have increased about 15% in the last couple of years.
Also appears in:
- https://nebraskapublicmedia.org/en/news/news-articles/walmart-plans-to-process-nebraska-beef-in-new-kansas-city-area-packaging-plant/
Associate Professor Lee Schulz was interviewed by Farm Journal for the story "More Uncertainty for Pork Industry in a Very Uncertain Market," which focuses on the repercussions from the Supreme Court's ruling on Proposition 12. Schulz said that "A lot of those exact cost estimates are yet to be determined. But what we know is this will result in a much higher cost to producers and those costs are going to vary throughout the different segments of the industry.”
Also appears in:
- https://www.agweb.com/news/livestock/pork/more-uncertainty-pork-industry-very-uncertain-market
Associate Professor Lee Schulz was interviewed by Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network for the article "Economists shedding light on pork industry market conditions," which focuses on the difficulties some pork producers are facing as the cost of production is not balancing market prices. Schulz told IARN that “They’re realizing the fiscal policy, the monetary policy, those are all impacting producer profits. And that’s what producers are responding to, that’s what drives expansion and contractionary plans and execution by producers. And all of those factors I think are working towards the negative for producers.”
Associate Professor Lee Schulz was interviewed by Radio Iowa for the article "After court ruling, California’s pig production rules to take effect July 1," which focuses on a Supreme Court ruling that allows California to require pork sold there to come from pigs raised in livestock barns with certain animal space requirements.
Schulz told Radio Iowa that “Pork producers are having some of the largest losses in 25 years. You have to go back to 1998 to see losses this large...We’re already seeing contraction in the industry.”
Associate Professor Lee Schulz was interviewed by Tri-State Livestock News for the article "US imports from Brazil continue." The article focuses on USDA not banning beef imports from Brazil after Brazil reported cattle infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy. According to TSLN the exchange rate between countries often dictates the amount of products entering the United States. “During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the Brazilian currency (Real) depreciated by 25 percent to 30 percent and it has not recovered. As a consequence, Brazilian prices expressed in U.S. dollars are lower than they would have been had the value of the Real not depreciated relative to the U.S. dollar,” Schulz said.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by WNAX about the recently narrowing price spread for dressed beef cut-outs between choice grade beef and select grade beef.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Iowa Farmer Today about how the cattle inventory cycle might affect processors' plans to expand.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by NPR Illinois about factors affecting the price of eggs in the United States.
Also appears in:
- https://www.kcur.org/2023-01-17/why-the-price-of-eggs-a-food-staple-for-breakfast-and-baked-goods-has-risen-so-sharply
- https://www.kosu.org/frontpage-news/2023-01-23/why-the-price-of-eggs-a-food-staple-for-breakfast-and-baked-goods-has-risen-so-sharply
- https://www.derbyinformer.com/news/area_news/why-the-price-of-eggs-a-food-staple-for-breakfast-and-baked-goods-has-risen/article_5062f556-9c07-11ed-ac95-f345d0e0ae36.html
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Iowa Farmer Today about challenges facing the pork and beef industries in 2023.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by American Ag Network about USDA's December Hogs and Pigs Report.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network about the December Hogs and Pigs Report.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Farm Journal about the December Hogs and Pigs Report.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Farm Journal about challenges facing US pork producers in 2023.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Farm Journal for the article "9 Questions Pork Industry Leaders Challenge You to Think About," which focuses on how pork producers can prepare for possible challenges in 2023.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Inforum about a new meat packing plant opening in Sioux Falls.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by KMTV (Omaha) about how a resurgence in avian influenza (bird flu) could affect consumer prices.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Radio Iowa about the USDA's recent survey that shows large increases in Iowa land values and cash rent.
Also appears in:
- https://kscj.com/2022/09/26/land-values-in-iowa-continue-to-rise/
- https://kiwaradio.com/ag-news/usda-numbers-see-big-increase-in-farmland-values/
- https://www.algonaradio.com/2022/09/27/usda-survey-shows-land-values-increasing/
- https://kboeradio.com/u-s-d-a-numbers-find-land-values-way-up/
- https://www.thegazette.com/business/historic-jumps-in-iowa-farmland-values-cash-rents-usda-surveys/
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Successful Farming about Walmart purchasing a minority share in a Nebraska processing plant.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Missouri Farmer Today about how high feed costs are affecting livestock operations.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Reuters news agency about how a smaller US cattle inventory could lead to higher beef prices.
Also appears in:
- https://localtoday.news/il/shrinking-us-cattle-herd-signals-more-pain-from-high-beef-prices-14602.html
- https://www.digitaljournal.com/business/shrinking-u-s-cattle-herd-signals-more-pain-from-high-beef-prices/article
- https://www.drovers.com/news/beef-production/shrinking-us-cattle-herd-signals-more-pain-high-beef-prices#:~:text=Shrinking%20U.S.%20Cattle%20Herd%20Signals%20More%20Pain%20from%20High%20Beef%20Prices,-U.S.%20consumers%20grappling&text=By%20Tom%20Polansek-,U.S.%20consumers%20grappling%20with%20soaring%20inflation%20face%20more%20pain%20from,supplies%20for%20years%2C%20economists%20said
Lee Schulz was interviewed by the Arizona Daily Sun about how inflation is affecting US consumers and what they can expect in the near future.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Illinois Farmer Today about how farmers may need to adjust their risk balance.
Also appears in:
- https://ravallirepublic.com/agriculture/risk-management-helps-farmers-find-the-right-balance/article_41690bc3-cdaa-5c5e-b893-e22ec1802de0.html
Lee Schulz was interviewed by the Wall Street Journal about Smithfield Foods closing a California-based hog plant.
Also appears in:
- https://www.wsj.com/articles/smithfield-foods-citing-high-costs-of-operating-in-california-to-close-pork-plant-11654950795?mod=Searchresults_pos1&page=1
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Iowa Farmer Today about cattle numbers in Iowa.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network about current pork production costs.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Marketplace about rising meat prices.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Missouri Farmer Today about high input costs for livestock, dairy, and poultry farmers.
Also appears in:
- https://www.mdjonline.com/neighbor_newspapers/extra/lifestyle/high-feed-costs-challenge-producers/article_c318c006-fb4e-5ad7-b309-7d23a644db31.html
- https://curated.tncontentexchange.com/agriculture/high-feed-costs-challenge-producers/article_bad71bd8-c3e8-5c48-8b47-4d84c6fadaef.html
- https://siouxcityjournal.com/business/local/high-feed-costs-challenge-livestock-producers/article_d282ed10-46d2-52e9-8ef7-30a792b6d884.html
Lee Schulz was interviewed by KMA Land about the US meat supply chain.
Also appears in:
- https://americanagnetwork.com/2022/01/meat-supply-chain-issues-explained/
Lee Schulz was interviewed about the most recent USDA Hogs and Pigs report, which showed a decline in inventory numbers.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by the Citizen Tribune about the outlook for livestock prices in 2022.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by the New York Times about the impact floods are having on Washington's dairy farms.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by KCCI about rising beef prices.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by the Marietta Daily Journal about current livestock production costs and profits.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by allrecipes about bacon prices hitting a 40-year high.
Also appears in:
- https://www.foodandwine.com/syndication/bacon-prices-surging
Research by Lee Schulz was used in a Farm World article about retail pork prices.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Farm Journal about US hog slaughter numbers.
Also appears in:
- https://www.stratfordbeaconherald.com/market/u-s-hog-slaughter-could-be-down-seven-per-cent/wcm/89c17a04-0627-4da8-9f82-3711beff4707
Lee Schulz was interviewed by KCCI about what is causing high food prices and when they may come back down.
Also appears in:
- https://www.kcrg.com/2021/09/20/iowans-cope-with-rising-food-prices/
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Iowa Farmer Today about consumer meat demand during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Also appears in:
- http://kokomoperspective.com/news/agriculture/covid-stokes-demand-for-higher-quality-meat/article_4f663097-251d-5bf7-a974-bb6b90ce9a23.html
- https://theeagle.com/landandlivestockpost/covid-stokes-demand-for-higher-quality-meat/article_9220adf2-fc72-11eb-a677-a345f6fc0089.html
A study co-authored by Lee Schulz was utilized in an article about the labor force in the US pork industry.
Also appears in:
- https://www.agnews890.com/2021/08/05/study-u-s-pork-industry-needs-more-access-to-foreign-born-workforce/
- https://www.agrimarketing.com/s/137301
- https://www.newsdakota.com/2021/08/05/study-u-s-pork-industry-needs-more-access-to-foreign-born-workforce/
- http://sfntoday.com/study-pork-industry-needs-more-access-to-foreign-born-workforce/
- https://www.foodmarket.com/News/A/1204961/NPPC-US-Pork-Needs-More-Access-to-Foreign-Born-Workforce
- https://ruralradio.com/maxcountry/news/study-u-s-pork-industry-needs-more-access-to-foreign-born-workforce/
- https://brownfieldagnews.com/news/study-shows-pork-industry-needs-more-access-to-foreign-born-workforce/
- https://www.meatpoultry.com/articles/25326-nppc-publishes-study-results-on-labor-shortage-in-pork-industry
- https://wnax.com/news/180081-isu-study-points-out-ag-labor-shortage-in-pork-industry/
- https://www.growingamerica.com/news/2021/08/pork-industry-needs-more-access-foreign-born-workforce-address-labor-shortage
- https://www.nationalhogfarmer.com/news/year-round-pork-production-needs-year-round-labor
- https://southeastagnet.com/2021/08/06/study-u-s-pork-industry-needs-access-foreign-born-workforce/
Lee Schulz research on pork prices was utilized in a National Hog Farmer article.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Iowa Public Radio about the plan for a new beef processing center in southwest Iowa.
Also appears in:
- https://www.radioiowa.com/2021/07/08/economist-southwest-iowa-beef-plant-could-have-big-impact/
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Farm Journal about his predicted hog prices through the second quarter of 2022.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Brownfield Ag News about the most recent USDA Hogs and Pigs report.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Feedstuffs about the most recent USDA Hogs and Pigs Quarterly Report, which shows the US inventory of all hogs and pigs on June 1, 2021, is down 2% from the same time last year.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by the Des Moines Registers about rising meat prices in the US.
Also appears in:
- https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2021/jun/27/restaurants-struggle-with-soaring-meat-costs/?features-style
Lee Schulz was interviewed about what topics may make headlines from the upcoming Hogs and Pigs Report.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Radio Iowa about the cyberattack against JBS, which operates a plant in Iowa.
Lee Schulz' research was utilized in a National Hog Farmer article about whether the hog price peak three weeks ago will be surpassed before the end of summer.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by the Rapid City Journal about livestock costs and profits.
Also appears in:
- https://rapidcityjournal.com/agriculture/livestock-profits-possible-despite-high-costs/article_bd92979d-7ba0-57b0-8f8d-a81705a6bfce.html
Research by Lee Schulz was utilized in a Morning Ag Clips article about the costs facing livestock producers.
Also appears in:
- https://kticradio.com/agricultural/livestock-producers-can-track-their-costs-and-insurance-options/
- https://www.yankton.net/neighbors/article_dec5c692-a49d-11eb-87fc-df701c8424d2.html
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Brownfield Ag News about how bottlenecks are disrupting global trade and commodity prices.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Agri-Pulse about how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected supply and demand in the US livestock sector.
Lee Schulz research on cattle market transparency was used in a Progressive Farmer article.
In his monthly column for Wallaces Farmer, Lee Schulz discusses the signals cattle producers should pay attention to when considering cattle herd expansion in 2021.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Successful Farming about the 2021 outlook for farmers.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by KIWA radio about marketing tools and hog production costs in 2021.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by the Citizen Tribune about how hog producers have managed to navigate a volatile market.
Also appears in:
- https://www.northwestsignal.net/news/ag_business/article_d015b7de-d7ac-5d1a-bf17-fcfe140af76c.html
Lee Schulz was interviewed about US meat production levels and how producers are coping with COVID-19 outbreaks.
Also appears in:
- https://themercury.com/ap/us-plants-hope-to-maintain-production-despite-virus-threat/article_cb518d60-84e8-5685-b69b-1d20b138b4e6.html
Lee Schulz was interviewed about how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected livestock producers risk management.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by The National Provisioner for an article about the economic outlook for 2021.
Lee Schulz was interviewed about the possible outlook for hog and cattle prices in 2021.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Farm Journal about how the COVID-19 pandemic has altered hog slaughter capacity in the United States.
Lee Schulz research on the US hog market was utilized in a National Hog Farmer article.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by KMA Land about pork production prices.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Missouri Farmer Today about domestic meat demand in the United States.
Lee Schulz research on the US pork industry was utilized in an article.
Lee Schulz' research on the hog industry was utilized in a National Hog Farmer article.
Lee Schulz research was highlighted in a Farm Journal article about the US pork industry in 2021.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by National Provisioner about how the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted labor supply in the livestock industry.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Farm Journal about the outlook for production and prices in the US pork industry.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by KCII radio about livestock processing capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Telegraph-Herald about how the COVID-19 has shifted what, when, and where US consumers are eating.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by NPR about current meat production and meat prices.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by the Lincoln Star-Journal about the current status of the hog market.
Also appears in:
- https://nonpareilonline.com/news/business_ag/hog-market-struggles-likely-to-continue-in-q4/article_5069138e-0135-5ac0-b466-dabce3080e7d.html
Lee Schulz's research on COVID-19's impact on the US pork and beef sectors was used in an article.
Lee Schulz recently told Brownfield Ag News that the number of hogs euthanized due to the COVID-19 pandemic is lower than originally thought.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Brownfield Ag News about hog weights and the outlook for the pork sector.
Also appears in:
- https://www.rfdtv.com/story/42475261/economist-says-number-of-pigs-euthanized-is-much-lower-than-originally-thought
Lee Schulz's research on the US hog market was utilized in a National Hog Farmer article.
Lee Schulz was interviewed about current meat and poultry supplies.
Lee Schulz was interviewed about current USDA hog inventory projections and prices.
Also appears in:
- https://www.jacksonprogress-argus.com/news/outdoors/usda-report-shows-hog-supply-on-the-rise/article_fa53e950-fc33-5552-82ca-229f3a167578.html
- https://www.agrinews-pubs.com/2020/07/08/u-s-pork-producers-face-more-pain/a6ruu4m/
Lee Schulz was interviewed about the supply and demand in the US hog industry.
Lee Schulz was interviewed about the current size and status of the US hog inventory.
Lee Schulz was interviewed about hog backlogs on US farms.
Also appears in:
- https://www.porkbusiness.com/article/hogs-and-pigs-report-uncertainty-remains-record-large-inventory
- https://www.farms.com/news/hog-backlog-on-u-s-farms-could-hit-2-million-head-157712.aspx
- https://www.ruralnewsgroup.co.nz/rural-news/rural-world-news/pig-of-a-situation-in-the-us
Lee Schulz was interviewed by the Associated Press about meat production rebounding during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Also appears in:
- https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/wires/ap/article-8411983/Meatpacking-rebounds-high-prices-backlogs-persist.html
- https://www.abc10.com/amp/article/news/nation-world/meatpacking-rebounds-but-high-prices-and-backlogs-will-persist/507-431538de-f3a8-4116-a98d-6e773867cccd
- https://www.hoosieragtoday.com/meatpacking-rebounds-but-meat-prices-will-likely-remain-high/
- https://www.bendbulletin.com/business/meatpacking-rebounds-but-backlogs-persist/article_4cdbb964-f060-53a3-b1cb-88ec6f775e93.html
- https://globegazette.com/business/meatpacking-rebounds-but-high-prices-backlogs-persist/article_e0332a94-d643-5d8b-934f-c301671cb1e1.html
- https://www.wowo.com/meatpacking-rebounds-but-meat-prices-will-likely-remain-high/
- https://www.wisfarmer.com/story/news/2020/06/15/meatpacking-rebounds-but-high-prices-and-backlogs-persist/3193943001/
Lee Schulz's research on livestock markets was utilized for an article about post-COVID-19 beef production.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Brownfield Ag News about what lies ahead for the pork processing industry.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Nebraska NPR about USDA’s latest Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry outlook report.
Lee Schulz was interviewed about meat prices and supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by The Courier about the current struggles hog farmers are facing.
Lee Schulz's research on fed cattle prices was utilized by Beef magazine.
The Wausau Pilot & Review wrote an article detailing information from Lee Schulz's FarmDoc Daily Webinar.
Also appears in:
- https://www.farmprogress.com/marketing/there-are-no-easy-solutions-pork-producer-woes
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Ag Web about consumer meat prices.
Lee Schulz in packing plant closures and meat supply.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by the Los Angeles Times about how coronavirus is changing the way people feed themselves.
Also appears in:
- https://www.houmatoday.com/news/20200502/coronavirus-is-changing-way-world-feeds-itself
Lee Schulz on the Trump administration's executive order keeping meat plants open.
Lee Schulz was interviewed about meat packing plant closures.
Also appears in:
- https://www.kcci.com/article/executive-order-keeps-meat-processing-plants-open-during-covid-19-outbreak/32309866
Lee Schulz on meat packing plant closures and meat supply.
Lee Schulz on the food supply chain.
Lee Schulz on cost of production on agriculture.
Also appears in:
- https://www.theindependent.com/agriculture/latest/cost-of-production-per-pound-or-bushel-remains-key-to-profit/article_1c9ab567-7017-5926-9036-3d1947eec161.html
Lee Schulz on livestock prices.
Lee Schulz on meat packing plant closures and meat supply.
Lee Schulz on COVID-19's impact on Iowa farmers.
Lee Schulz was interviewed about the effects COVID-19 is having on US meat supplies and processing plants.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by the Quad City Times about the effect COVID-19 is having on Iowa's meat packing industry.
Also appears in:
- https://bit.ly/2VUpxxt
- https://bit.ly/2yKYCfB
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Iowa Public Radio about how COVID-19 is affecting US meat supplies.
Lee Schulz's livestock industry research was utilized by Farms.com for an article about cattle prices.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Iowa Public Radio about meat plant closures and the potential back-up in the supply chain.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Farm Journal's Pork about disruptions in livestock prices due to COVID-19.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Radio Iowa about the effects COVID-19 is having on livestock industries and consumer prices.
Also appears in:
- https://bit.ly/3bhv4EK
Lee Schulz research on livestock industries was utilized by National Hog Farmer about the impact processing plant closures are having on hog and beef prices.
Lee Schulz's research on livestock markets was utilized by Beef Magazine for an article about plant closures.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by KAKE Quad Cities about cattle farmers calling for slaughterhouses to stay open.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by the Sioux City Journal about current foreign market demand for U.S. pork and beef.
Also appears in:
- https://bit.ly/2RJeLcf
Lee Schulz was interviewed by the Des Moines Register about consumers' panic buying during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Iowa Pubic Radio about forecasted beef prices.
Chad Hart and Lee Schulz's winter Agricultural Policy Review article was cited by Ag Update for a story about ag projections.
Research by Lee Schulz was utilized in a National Hog Farmer article about hog demand.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by St. Louis Public Radio about how livestock producers fared in 2019.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Kenosha News about his outlook for livestock producers in 2020.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by KIWA radio about his outlook for cattle prices and production in 2020.
Lee Schulz's research on livestock survivability was utilized in an Ag Web article.
Lee Schulz's hog industry research was utilized in an Ag News Feed article about pork production.
Lee Schulz authored a Wallaces Farmer article about US pork production.
Also appears in:
- http://bit.ly/2oWhNi1
Lee Schulz was interviewed by the Washington Examiner about the impact agriculture and agriculture-related industries have on the US economy.
Also appears in:
- http://bit.ly/2lI3nk2
Lee Schulz and Chad Hart were interviewed about the effect ASF and tariffs are having on trade with China.
Also appears in:
- http://bit.ly/2kx2XMW
Lee Schulz and his co-researcher’s work on animal traceability in the livestock industry was utilized in a Kenosha News article.
Lee Schulz's research on animal traceability was utilized in an Ag News Feed article.
Lee Schulz was interviewed about US cattle production in 2019.
Lee Schulz was interviewed about the USDA's second quarter hog and pigs report.
Lee Schulz was interviewed about the USDA's June Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report.
Also appears in:
- http://bit.ly/2JgFI1N
- http://bit.ly/2Xl9PdK
Research by Lee Schulz was utilized in a National Hog Farmer article about USDA predicted pork production.
Also appears in:
- http://bit.ly/2VKWjPv
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Radio Iowa about recent hog prices.
Also appears in:
- http://bit.ly/2YkuYVY
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Brownfield Ag News about WalMart's announcement that it’s setting up its own Angus beef supply chain.
Research by Lee Schulz was utilized in a National Hog Farmer magazine article.
Also appears in:
- http://bit.ly/2Xttg4a
Lee Schulz was interviewed about flooding on the Missouri river and the impact it had on farmers.
Also appears in:
- http://bit.ly/2I04d4q
- http://bit.ly/2FGI6gr
- http://bit.ly/2YBAiFq
- http://bit.ly/2V65Sce
- http://bit.ly/2U2dqk1
Lee Schulz's research on hog market prices was utilized in a National Hog Farmer article.
Lee Schulz was quoted in a Tribune Chronicle article about supporting local farmers.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by National Hog Farmer about current hog prices.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Ag Update about retail beef production, prices, and demand.
Research by Lee Schulz was utilized in an article about profitability in the swine industry.
Also appears in:
- http://bit.ly/2Si0i9s
Lee Schulz was quoted in a Globe Gazette article about a new packing facility opening in Eagle Grove.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by New Hampshire Public Radio about services available during the government shutdown.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Wisconsin Ag Net about expected growth in the livestock sector in 2019.
Lee Schulz was quoted in a Tri-States Public Radio story about the government shutdown.
Also appears in:
- http://bit.ly/2sOu8TT
- http://bit.ly/2Hz8cXe
- http://bit.ly/2WoxSZU
Lee Schulz was interviewed for an Iowa Farmer Today article about premiums in the livestock and meat packing industry.
Lee Schulz was quoted in a Feed Stuffs article bout predictions for the livestock market in 2019.
Lee Schulz was quoted in an article about the outlook for the livestock industry in 2019.
Lee Schulz was quoted in an Iowa Farmer Today article about meat demand and growth in the packing industry.
Also appears in:
- http://bit.ly/2TkFElp
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Iowa Farmer Today about feed quality and cattle weight.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Brownfield Ag News about the current status of livestock production.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by KUNC radio about the US pork market.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by the Storm Lake Pilot Tribune about future challenges farmers will face.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Iowa Farmer Today about livestock production and the 2019 outlook.
Lee Schulz was interviewed by Successful Farming about what 2019 will hold for farmers.
Lee Schulz was interviewed for a Globe Gazette article about pork prices and the agricultural economy.
Lee Schulz was interviewed for an Iowa Farmer Today article about growth in Iowa's pork industry.
Information from Dr. Schulz address at the USDA-ERS "Challenges to Changing Antibiotic Use in Food Animal Production: Economics, Data & Policy" workshop was used in a Feedstuffs article.
Lee Schulz contributed an article about cattle prices to Wallaces Farmer.
Research by Lee Schulz appears in a Agrinews article about the China/US trade dispute.
“Profits for hogs marketed in April were negative for the second month in a row, according to calculations by Lee Schulz, economist at Iowa State University.”
A recent investigation into the North Carolina farm linked to an egg recall revealed a rodent problem at the site.
Since April 5 hog prices have steadily climbed higher every day.
“Although employment in the swine industry grew three times faster than employment in all U.S. industries along, attracting and maintaining employees is a serious problem for the U.S. pork business.”
Based on futures prices, hog farmers may see a loss of $4.34 per hog.
Some experts are predicting a dangerous year of high yields and low commodity prices.
A recent study found the Iowa State University’s Vet Diagnostics Lab provides an 8-to-1 return on investment.
“The national average price for a bred heifer may be under $2,000, but there are still cattlemen willing to pay more than $3,000 for the right replacement.”
“Before this first-of-its-kind survey, little data existed to fully understand and analyze producer decisions regarding biosecurity investment and adoption of disease-mitigating practices.”
ISU has debuted a new app to help farmers calculate crush margins for hogs and cattle.
Iowa’s beef industry numbers are looking solid in 2017.
Schulz says a spring rally may be affecting this fall’s bred female demand.
“Exports of U.S. beef have increased 14 percent in 2017, with exports to Japan increasing over 30 percent. Increases in exports are also seen to Mexico, Canada, South Korea and Hong Kong.”
Lee Schulz says that the expansion of pork processing plants in Iowa is plant capacity catching up to production.
“The combination of strong demand and increasing pork packing capacity should help the livestock industry work through large meat supplies this fall and winter.”
Economist Lee Schulz talks with Iowa Farmer Today about concerns in the pork industry.
According to experts a case of BSE identified in Alabama shouldn’t have an effect on beef prices or demand.
“In the cash market, as reported by USDA-Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), fed steer prices were higher week-over-week…”
“We’re looking at an annual estimate for 2017 right around that 15-dollars per head,” Schulz says.
USDA quarterly report shows second-largest inventory on record.
Schulz says the US beef market in China is still “in its infancy,” but has returned after 14 years.
Meat prices at the counter are down from last year, but up from several months ago.
Lee Schulz examines the history of hog prices for Iowa Farmer Today.
Ag economist Lee Schulz said there was a tremendous increase in heifers held for replacements.
Schulz says he expects 2017 to bring both strong domestic and export demand.
After highs and lows the last two years, livestock prices are beginning to stabilize.
Livestock profits have fallen, but exports are still helping support the industry.
Numerous signs in the hog, cattle, and turkey industries point to lower meat prices.
Consumer beef prices have come down about 30 cents/lb since this time last year.
A large portion of the chicken products purchased by US consumers are produced under vertical integration.
The average all-fresh beef price decreased about 5% from August of last year to January of 2016.
Droughts in the Southern Plains brought larger numbers of feeder cattle to the Midwest. Lee Schulz says that trend probably won’t reverse any time soon.
Iowa's corn and soybean production saw record yields, but not all facets of Iowa's agriculture had such a good year.
Beef and pork markets have fallen from record levels in 2014. Pork producers are facing a break-even 2016.
What kind of economic impact has PEDv had since it was first identified in the US in 2013?
Hog supplies and seasonal weights are both up. Lee Schulz explains why that may be.
Record inventories could soften margins for hogs and pigs.
CARD economist Lee Schulz says that farmers may want to lock in next year's feed at harvest time.
Despite showing pricing advantages, Lee Schulz says that barely 60 percent of producers precondition cattle.
Record cattle and hog prices have been driving the Iowa packing industry.
Beef prices have jumped about 19 percent over last year, and they could climb another 5-6 percent this year.
Economist Lee Schulz says that expansion of the cattle market was expected, but moving faster than predicted.
Good prices have reportedly led to a two percent increase in hog inventories over last year.
Lee Schulz talks with Iowa Farmer Today about the expansion of Iowa's cattle herds.
Lee Schulz says that US pork and beef exports have both edged up slightly--just under two percent.
Lee Schulz
6th U.S.-China Swine Industry Symposium, Beijing, China
Lee Schulz, Catherine Hayes, and Dermot J. Hayes