Cattle supply chain disruption causing meatpacker cost inflation and production delays

U.S. meatpackers face severe cattle shortages with herds at 50-year lows, forcing them to halt operations or reduce capacity while waiting for Mexican cattle imports to resume. Current supply chain solutions fail to bridge the gap between domestic herd depletion and import restrictions, leaving processors unable to meet demand and facing escalating operational costs. The phased reopening creates uncertainty around timing and volume, making production planning and cost forecasting nearly impossible.