Kansas

Kansas City area cattle ranchers see beef marketing opportunity in trade war

Published

3 months ago

April 18, 2025

Kansas City area cattle ranchers see beef marketing opportunity in trade war

BUTLER, Mo. — Kansas City area livestock producers are closely watching the economy as the United States navigates an international trade war.

“We’ve got to keep the economy strong to keep our beef prices going good,” explained Tim Clifton, a field representative and cattle rancher with MoKan Livestock Market.

Brian Luton/KSHB

Tim Clifton

The announcement of retaliatory tariffs on international trade partners rocked the stock market during the early stages of implementation. Missouri and Kansas livestock growers rely on a strong stock market to keep their prices high. When the market took a plunge a few weeks ago, so did cattle prices.

“When the stock market recovered, the cattle markets are back pretty much 100% to what they were three weeks ago,” said Clifton.

While a big focus is the economy, Clifton tells KSHB 41, there is an opportunity knocking at their door.

“We’re importing all kinds of Australian beef, and Australia doesn’t take any of our beef,” he explained. “We were taking their beef in, and they’re not taking any of ours. So that tariff is good for us.”

In the last five years, the U.S. cattle population declined due to drought.

American cattlemen were forced to cull herds to keep up with the cost of production.

The U.S. livestock head count has decreased by 1% in the last year since Jan. 1, 2025, to a total of 86.7 million.

The lowest head count since 1951, according to a report from AGDAILY.

American beef exports have only increased in billions of pounds since 2020.

Clifton tells KSHB 41 that implementing tariffs on trade competitors like Brazil could make his business more competitive.

“We get all this Brazilian beef coming in, and little goes back to Brazil of our beef,” he explained.

In the United States, four companies control 85% of America’s meat-packing industry: Tyson, JBS, Cargill, and National Beef.

Tim Clifton and KSHB 41 News Reporter Ryan Gamboa

JBS and National Beef are Brazilian-based companies.

“We import all this lean beef that we don’t know how it’s handled, what kind of regulations, what kind of antibiotics regulations they’re given. We import all this beef, the big four packers import it here,” Clifton expressed. “They cut it, they can mix it with our beef, do whatever they want, and the consumer doesn’t know. That’s where it could be beneficial for us, stopping some of that beef coming in that we don’t really need.”

Canada leads in exports of beef to the United States at 29% of U.S. product. Mexico and Brazil aren’t far behind.

Last year, Reuters reported on a positive case of Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or more commonly referred to as “Mad Cow Disease”.

“We need to stop importing so much of this beef. We could process ourselves,” Clifton said.

Clifton says that engaging in stricter trade practices should create greater food independence in the United States.

“We’re relying on people that we don’t really need to be relying on,” he added. “We need to be relying on ourselves first.”

As long as the economy remains strong, Clifton sees positives for the American cattlemen and, more importantly, consumers.

“We’re really at an opportunity here to try to lower some of our input costs… If we can lower some of our input costs and keep our market strong, we’re set up for a good spot here,” Clifton said. “It would be a benefit to try and get more U.S. beef to a U.S. consumer. If this could all work out in our favor.”

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KSHB 41 reporter Ryan Gamboa covers Miami County in Kansas and Cass County in Missouri. He also covers agricultural topics. Share your story idea with Ryan.

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Related Topics:Agriculture Big 4 Packers Brazil Cargill cattle cattle ranchers consumer consumer news Farm Bureau Featured food

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Kansas

Blue-green algae public health advisories given for Kansas lakes

Published

7 hours ago

July 11, 2025

Press Room

Blue-green algae public health advisories given for Kansas lakes

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) have issued public health advisories due to blue-green algae.

According to a press release from KDHE, a Harmful Algae Bloom (HAB) may look like foam, scum, or paint floating on the water and be colored blue, bright green, brown, or red. Blooms can develop rapidly; if the water appears suspicious or there is decaying algae on the shore, avoid contact and keep dogs away. 

These toxins can be absorbed by ingestion, inhalation of aerosols, and even skin contact. Symptoms vary depending upon the type of exposure (e.g., direct contact, ingestion, inhalation) but can include rash, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, sore throat, and headache.

Active Advisories:

Warning:

Elkhorn Lake, Jackson County
Frazier Lake, Grant County
Gathering Pond, Geary County
Kill Creek Park Lake, Johnson County
Marion County Lake, Marion County

Watch:

Atchison City Lake #9, Atchison County
Atchison State Fishing Lake, Atchison County
Jeffrey Energy Make-Up Lake, Pottawatomie County
Marion Reservoir, Marion County
Melvern Outlet River Pond, Osage County
Melvern Outlet Swim Pond, Osage County

A warning status indicates that a HAB is expected or present, and a watch status means that a HAB is possible and may be present.

Advisories are lifted when cell densities and toxin concentrations dissipate to levels below the Watch thresholds.

If you or your pets come into contact with algae, rinse the area with clean, fresh water. Suspected HAB-related health incidents, whether human or animal, regardless of season, should be reported as soon as possible.

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Kansas

1 person shot to death, another injured Thursday afternoon in south Kansas City, Missouri

Published

1 day ago

July 10, 2025

Press Room

1 person shot to death, another injured Thursday afternoon in south Kansas City, Missouri

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — One person died and another was injured in a shooting Thursday afternoon in south Kansas City, Missouri.

Police found two people, a man and a woman, in the street suffering from gunshot wounds at about 4:10 p.m. in the 11800 block of Winchester Avenue.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene, and the woman was taken to an area hospital.

An argument between several people led to a fight, and then gunfire, police said.

Police are looking for one suspect and believe this is an isolated incident.

This was the 87^th homicide of the year in Kansas City, Missouri, compared with 79 at this time a year ago.

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If you have any information about a crime, you may contact your local police department directly. But if you want or need to remain anonymous, you should contact the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers Tips Hotline by calling 816-474-TIPS (8477), submitting the tip online or through the free mobile app at P3Tips.com. Depending on your tip, Crime Stoppers could offer you a cash reward.

Annual homicide details and data for the Kansas City area are available through the KSHB 41 News Homicide Tracker, which was launched in 2015. Read the KSHB 41 News Mug Shot Policy.

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Kansas

Check out where Kansas basketball is projected to be in top 25 in these early projections

Published

3 days ago

July 8, 2025

Press Room

Check out where Kansas basketball is projected to be in top 25 in these early projections

LAWRENCE — Kansas basketball has continued to add to its roster in recent weeks, as the 2025-26 season nears.

Toward the end of June, KU signed a pair of high-caliber players who’ll be freshmen this season. That would be guard Kohl Rosario, and center Paul Mbiya. Both are capable of providing valuable depth for a squad that was very much in need of it and have helped spur momentum for coach Bill Self’s team during the summer.

So, at this point, where do things stand when it comes to Kansas’ potential place in the initial top 25 poll? How favorably do projections view the Jayhawks? Where does KU rank among other Big 12 Conference programs?

Here are some recent projections for where Kansas could start the upcoming season in the top 25:

This projection places Kansas at No. 21, behind fellow Big 12 programs No. 1 Houston, No. 7 BYU, No. 12 Texas Tech, No. 13 Iowa State, and No. 17 Arizona. It’s clear that once again the Jayhawks are going to be dealing with a challenging league slate. Compete well within that, and odds are Self and company will be able to move up much higher than No. 21.

Darryn Peterson’s arrival as one of the most high-profile freshmen in the nation generated a lot of buzz for the Jayhawks and has helped them come in at No. 21 in this projection. With returning sophomore forward Flory Bidunga, the duo has the potential to be one of the best the Big 12 has to offer this season. However, here KU is still behind some Big 12 programs in No. 3 Houston, No. 6 BYU, No. 10 Texas Tech, No. 13 Arizona, and No. 18 Iowa State.

This is the highest projection of the group and sets Kansas at No. 14 — just inside the top 15. Ahead of the Jayhawks, among Big 12 programs, are No. 2 Houston and No. 8 Iowa State. It’s an optimistic outlook for KU, as it looks to bounce back this season after a pair of disappointing finishes across the past two postseasons.

Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.

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