The Commodity Kitchen with David Maloni & Jerry Dalton

Markets on the 50-Yard Line

In this episode of The Commodity Kitchen Podcast, David Maloni and Gerry Dalton break down the key commodity market drivers for the week ending December 6, with a focus on grains, dairy, proteins, and macroeconomic signals influencing market conditions. While energy markets and the U.S. dollar remain relatively rangebound, several important shifts are emerging beneath the surface—particularly in soybeans and soybean oil, dairy supply fundamentals, chicken production, and U.S. beef imports. The hosts examine changing supply dynamics across major protein categories, review recent USDA data showing a month-over-month decline in the U.S. milk cow herd, and discuss the Trump administration’s decision to ease beef import tariffs. They also highlight signs of ongoing consumer pressure, including increased discounting and weakening labor data, and explain how recent softness in the U.S. dollar could provide support for commodity prices. Connect with out hosts: David Maloni’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmaloni/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmaloni/] Jerry Dalton's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-dalton-0324a821/  [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-dalton-0324a821/] Click here to find out more: https://datumfs.com/ [https://datumfs.com/]

Cattle Pull Back, Milk Surges: Key Market Moves Ahead of Thanksgiving

In this pre-Thanksgiving episode, we break down major moves across cattle, dairy, grains, and protein markets. Live cattle and feeder cattle futures—after hitting record highs—have now pulled back to levels last seen in July, though they remain historically elevated. September milk production surged 4% year over year, and the milk cow herd climbed 2.5%, marking its biggest increase in decades. Grain markets continue to firm, with nearby soybean futures reaching their highest price since June 2024, supported by tighter-than-expected soybean supplies and increasing demand tied to biofuel mandates. We also analyze key protein dynamics: chicken output is running about 3% above last year, with whole birds holding steady at $1.05/lb; beef cutouts have begun drifting lower but remain higher year over year; and lean/fat trim prices continue moving in opposite directions due to limited government production data during the shutdown. Tyson and Pilgrim’s Pride both expressed confidence in strong chicken demand for 2026 despite today’s lower prices. Tune in to hear the full discussion and understand how these trends may shape commodity decisions heading into the holiday season. Connect with out hosts: David Maloni’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmaloni/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmaloni/] Jerry Dalton's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-dalton-0324a821/  [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-dalton-0324a821/] Click here to find out more: https://datumfs.com/ [https://datumfs.com/]

Meat and Dairy Thrillers

Welcome back! We open with a couple of Halloween scare stories before diving into markets: cheese is around recent highs (discussed near $1.80/lb) with a long-run support near $1.50/lb that hasn’t held below for long over the past 10–15 years; we’re not especially bullish on cheese here. Butter remains around the 1.60 level and relatively rangebound despite holiday demand. On proteins, retail beef prices in September rose 14.7% YoY to a record high, likely starting to curb consumption, while pork (+1.6% YoY) and chicken (+1.5% YoY) present better value. We also flag a potential resumption of Mexican cattle imports (no date yet) that could help beef supplies in 2026. Give the full episode a listen for our take on price floors, value spreads across proteins, and what these developments could mean in the weeks ahead. Connect with out hosts: David Maloni’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmaloni/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmaloni/] Jerry Dalton's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-dalton-0324a821/  [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-dalton-0324a821/] Click here to find out more: https://datumfs.com/ [https://datumfs.com/]

Markets Under Pressure: Dairy Down, Tariffs Rising

In this episode, we take you through the latest movements across food, energy, and agricultural markets. The Datum FS Commodity Index is down 6% month over month, driven largely by steep declines in dairy and poultry. We unpack what’s behind the sharp drop in chicken breast, wing, and tender prices, the continued weakness in butter, and the broader trends putting pressure on nearly every major commodity. You’ll also hear our thoughts on how these shifts compare to past market lows and what might signal a turnaround. We also zoom out to the bigger picture—how government shutdowns, renewed tariff discussions with China, and record corn harvest expectations could reshape the landscape for U.S. producers and global trade. From rare earth mineral tensions to multi-year lows in grains and oilseeds, we explore the forces at play and what they could mean for feed costs, pricing stability, and market confidence heading into the end of the year. Connect with out hosts: David Maloni’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmaloni/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmaloni/] Jerry Dalton's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-dalton-0324a821/  [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-dalton-0324a821/] Click here to find out more: https://datumfs.com/ [https://datumfs.com/]

Big Herd, Low Prices: This Week in Commodities

In this first episode of The Commodity Kitchen Podcast, we dive into the latest moves across the commodity markets. From the sharp drop in chicken prices to ongoing weakness in dairy and record cattle herds, we break down what’s driving these shifts. We also touch on feed costs, seasonal production changes, and government policies shaping the outlook. Our goal is to help you make sense of the trends that matter most right now. Connect with out hosts: David Maloni’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmaloni/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmaloni/] Jerry Dalton's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-dalton-0324a821/  [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-dalton-0324a821/] Click here to find out more: https://datumfs.com/ [https://datumfs.com/]