CASCADE CO — At Western Livestock Auction between Great Falls and Vaughn, the fall season means long days, full pens, and steady sales, all part of what General Manager Ryan Perry calls the “normal rhythm” of Montana’s cattle business.
Despite national headlines about record-high beef prices, Perry says what’s happening locally isn’t a sudden surge. Instead, it’s the annual “fall run,” when ranchers across the state bring their cattle to auction before winter sets in.
“The market is great. It’s been on an unprecedented level throughout summer and early fall,” Perry said. “As we get into the end of October, we’re seeing more cows, so the supply’s rising. The demand is still good, but we’re getting more cows moving in and seeing a softer cow market.”
Perry says that seasonal softening happens every year as producers sell older cows and calves ahead of colder months. Still, he calls the market healthy and stable, driven by strong demand for high-quality beef — especially from Montana producers.
That steady demand comes after years of tighter national supply and rising costs for feed, fuel, and labor. Ranchers say the prices they’re seeing now are among the best they’ve had in decades.
But some outside factors are creating uncertainty. Earlier this month, the White House announced plans to raise the quota on Argentine beef imports to 80,000 metric tons in an effort to ease inflation and lower domestic beef prices.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, beef imports to the United States are already up 19% from last year.
Tim Brunner, cattle rancher and Montana Cattleman's Association board member, who has worked in the industry for more than 50 years, says even that announcement was enough to briefly shake the market.
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“We’re still at an all-time high, but there are calves that brought three or four hundred dollars per head less than they did a week ago, and that was all from talk about bringing in more Argentine beef,” Brunner said. He explains that while those imports may sound significant, their actual impact is minimal.
“If they were to import 80,000 metric tons from Argentina, that would be all they could export, and it would have very little effect on our market,” he said. “The majority of that beef is ground up to mix with our beef,” Brunner says. The temporary price dip shows how quickly markets react to perception, even when the fundamentals of supply and demand remain strong.
“It’s not going to flood the market,” he said. “People will still want Montana beef. It’s some of the best in the country.”Both Brunner and Perry say Montana’s reputation for quality and consistency continues to draw buyers from across the country.
Even with outside pressures and shifting prices, they agree the state’s cattle industry remains strong, built on hard work, resilience, and a product that speaks for itself.
