Cal Pistachio Market Search and Cattle and Calves Numbers Down

**California pistachio growers are searching for potential emerging markets to handle expected record-shattering crops during the next few years.

A market outlook for the surging pistachio sector was offered at the American Pistachio Growers annual conference in Monterey.

Pistachio shipments to Europe, Asia, Canada and Mexico allowed the sector to avoid overproduction with a 2023 crop that approached 1.5 billion pounds.

Pistachio harvests are expected to grow exponentially as nonbearing acreage comes into production.

**The USDA announced the finalization of Inclusive Competition and Market Integrity Under the Packers and Stockyards Act.

The final rule establishes clearer, more effective standards for prohibited practices relating to discrimination, retaliation, and deception in contracting.

USDA says this will help producers and growers who’ve suffered from increasingly consolidated markets over the last 30 years by ensuring fair access to economic opportunities.

**The USDA says all cattle and calves in the U.S. and Canada combined totaled 98.2 million head on January 1, down 2% from the 100 million head on January 1 of last year.

The all cows and heifers that have calved inventory was down 2% from last year to 42 million head.

All cattle and calves in the U.S. totaled 87.2 million head, down 2% from the 88.8 million head on January 1 of last year.