Fewer cattle and strong demand mean higher prices for cattle farmers, and that’s likely to continue in the next two to three years, an industry analyst told farmers last week in Cedar Rapids.

"Looks like the next two or three years, the numbers are going to be very, very tight. Prices are going to be very well supported by just limited numbers going forward," Duane Lenz, market analyst and general manager for CattleFax, told farmers at the Eastern Iowa Beef Conference.

Lenz said Iowa cattle farmers are "prime" to take advantage of their location and the competitive advantages they have to raise cattle. The drought and closing of plants in ...