Navigating Risk and Opportunity in the Texas Cattle Market: A Ground-Level Look at Biosecurity, Borders, and Beef

March 9-12, 2026

From border biosecurity to herd rebuilding, the 2026 Texas Market Study Tour will give Iowa farmers a ground-level look at some of the most pressing challenges shaping the U.S. cattle industry.

This year’s tour will explore how federal and state partners are responding to emerging animal-health risks like the New World Screwworm and how border disruptions and record prices are reshaping cattle supply chains. Participants will engage with USDA APHIS, Texas Animal Health Commission, Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, and leading producers to better understand how national biosecurity, trade, and market policies intersect.

Key focus areas include:

• Animal-health readiness and biosecurity protocols in the face of evolving disease threats
• Border trade dynamics and the ripple effects of Mexico’s cattle import ban
• Beef market structure and price-risk management amid historically tight supplies

This tour is designed for Farm Bureau members seeking to understand how real-world production, policy, and market trends intersect. It offers a front-row look at how Texas cattle systems are evolving—and what those changes mean for producers across the Midwest.

For additional details and to view the agenda, see below